How is amnioscopy done?
An endoscope-the amnioscope-is passed into the cervical canal so that the amniotic fluid can be inspected through the intact forewaters. Amniotic fluid which is clear, or milky from emulsification of vernix, indicates that conditions within the uterus are normal.
What is meconium staining?
When your baby is born, meconium is the first stool your baby passes. But sometimes meconium comes out before the baby is born. It goes into the amniotic fluid. This is called meconium staining. Your doctor may see the meconium staining when your water breaks.

What is thick meconium?
Meconium is a thick, green, tar-like substance that lines your baby’s intestines during pregnancy. Typically this substance is not released in your baby’s bowel movements until after birth. However, sometimes a baby will have a bowel movement prior to birth, excreting the meconium into the amniotic fluid.
Is amniocentesis a genetic test?
For genetic amniocentesis, test results can reliably rule out or diagnose various genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome. However, amniocentesis can’t identify all genetic conditions and birth defects.

What is a biophysical profile in pregnancy?
A biophysical profile (BPP) is a test that combines a nonstress test with ultrasound to check the health of the fetus. A nonstress test (NST) measures the fetal heart rate in response to the movements of the fetus.
What is CTG?
Cardiotocography (CTG) is a continuous recording of the fetal heart rate obtained via an ultrasound transducer placed on the mother’s abdomen. CTG is widely used in pregnancy as a method of assessing fetal well‐being, predominantly in pregnancies with increased risk of complications.
What causes meconium?
Meconium is composed of amniotic fluid, mucus, lanugo (the fine hair that covers the baby’s body), bile, and cells that have been shed from the skin and the intestinal tract.
How meconium is formed?
Meconium is the material and secretions created by or swallowed by the fetus in the gastrointestinal tract while in utero. It contains ingested amniotic fluid, lanugo, intestinal cells, bile salts and pigments, and pancreatic enzymes.
When is meconium formed?
Meconium is formed by the fetus as early as the 12th week of gestation, accumulates throughout pregnancy, and is normally excreted after birth by the infant.
What is the purpose of amniocentesis?
This procedure may be done in late pregnancy to check fetal well-being and diagnose fetal health problems, such as infection. If a baby is expected to be delivered early, amniocentesis may be done to check for fetal lung maturity. The fluid is sent to a lab so that the cells can grow and be analyzed.
What are the 5 parameters of biophysical profile?
The five components of the biophysical profile are as follows: (1) nonstress test; (2) fetal breathing movements (one or more episodes of rhythmic fetal breathing movements of 30 seconds or more within 30 minutes); (3) fetal movement (three or more discrete body or limb movements within 30 minutes); (4) fetal tone (one …
What is normal BPP?
A score of 6/8 or 8/8 is normal. Most fetuses that score ≤ 6/8 need additional monitoring. A complete BPP includes the addition of electronic fetal monitoring (nonstress test) for a total score of 10 points. A score of 8/10 or 10/10 is considered normal. A score of 6/10 is equivocal and ≤ 4/10 is abnormal.
What is CGT in pregnancy?
Background. Cardiotocography (CTG) is a continuous recording of the fetal heart rate obtained via an ultrasound transducer placed on the mother’s abdomen. CTG is widely used in pregnancy as a method of assessing fetal well‐being, predominantly in pregnancies with increased risk of complications.
What is normal CTG?
Normal antenatal CTG trace: The normal antenatal CTG is associated with a low probability of fetal compromise and has the following features: • Baseline fetal heart rate (FHR) is between 110-160 bpm • Variability of FHR is between 5-25 bpm • Decelerations are absent or early • Accelerations x2 within 20 minutes.
What is meconium in pregnancy?
Meconium is the early stool passed by a newborn soon after birth, before the baby starts to feed and digest milk or formula. In some cases, the baby passes meconium while still inside the uterus. This can happen when babies are “under stress” due to a decrease in blood and oxygen supply.
How can you prevent meconium?
Can meconium aspiration syndrome be prevented or avoided? Following your doctor’s advice and taking good care of yourself and your baby during pregnancy can often prevent problems that lead to meconium being present at birth. Smoking during pregnancy can raise the chances of having a baby with MAS.
Where is meconium produced?
What is meconium? Meconium is the material and secretions created by or swallowed by the fetus in the gastrointestinal tract while in utero. It contains ingested amniotic fluid, lanugo, intestinal cells, bile salts and pigments, and pancreatic enzymes.
What is meconium used for?
In the US, the results of meconium testing may be used by child protective services and other law enforcement agencies to determine the eligibility of the parents to keep the newborn. Meconium can also be analyzed to detect the tobacco use of mothers during their pregnancy, which is commonly under-reported.
What is the function of meconium?
Meconium is a collection of secretions and desquamated cells from the digestive tract, and waste products from ingested amniotic fluid. It begins to appear towards the beginning of the second trimester and accumulates in the colon until birth.
What are the complications of amniocentesis?
Amniocentesis is a well-known procedure performed during pregnancy for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Typical complications of the procedure include infection of the amniotic sac, preterm labor, respiratory distress, fetal deformities, trauma, alloimmunization, and failure of the puncture wound to heal properly.
What are the results of amniocentesis?
What the results mean. Amniocentesis is estimated to give a definitive result in 98 to 99 out of every 100 women having the test. But it cannot test for every condition and, in a small number of cases, it’s not possible to get a conclusive result. Many women who have amniocentesis will have a “normal” result.
What are advantages of amniocentesis?
Amniocentesis helps confirm a tentative diagnosis of an abnormality found with other testing. It may also find that a fetus does not have the abnormality that was suspected. This allows couples to plan the remainder of pregnancy and to consider their options.
What is BPP and NST?
How many mL of amniotic fluid is normal?
While in the womb, the baby floats in the amniotic fluid. The amount of amniotic fluid is greatest at about 34 weeks (gestation) into the pregnancy, when it averages 800 mL. About 600 mL of amniotic fluid surrounds the baby at full term (40 weeks gestation).
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