Mas

Does meconium cause meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) or is meconium discharge only a marker of fetal hypoxia? This dispute has lasted for centuries, but since the 1960s, detrimental effects of meconium itself on the lungs have been demonstrated in animal experiments. In clinical MAS, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn is the leading cause of death in MAS. Regarding the complex chemical composition of meconium, it is difficult to identify a single agent responsible for the pathophysiology. However, considering that meconium is stored in the intestines, partly unexposed to the immune system, aspirated meconium could be recognized as ‘danger', representing damaged self...