Correlation of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and adverse pregnancy outcomes between 37-39 to 40-42 weeks of gestational age.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed at assessing the association between MSAF and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in early-term versus late-term pregnancies.

METHODS: Early term pregnancies (37-39 weeks of gestation) presented with MSAF were compared to late-term (40-42 weeks of gestation) pregnancies with MSAF. The groups were compared with respect to background characteristics, maternal outcomes and neonatal outcomes. The composite neonatal outcome was the primary outcome of the study, and secondary outcomes included the maternal and neonatal outcomes.

RESULTS: The early term group comprised 239 women, compared with 362 women in the late term group. The primary outcome did not differ between groups. We found a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes (8.37% versus 3%, P<0.05), a shorter second stage of labor (45.6154.67 versus 65.8262.99 minutes, P<0.05), and a longer hospital stay (2.842.21 versus 2.531.26 days, P<0.05) in the early-term group. Other maternal and neonatal characteristics and outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: In term pregnancies complicated by MSAF, adverse neonatal and maternal delivery outcomes are equivalent, regardless of gestational age, and therefore any term pregnancy complicated by MSAF should be considered high risk and managed appropriately.