Birth Injury
“When meconium is documented in the delivery room, the medical team is on notice. Failure to prepare, respond, and treat appropriately is a failure that families should not bear alone.”
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
Birth injury — Your family may have legal rights
Meconium is a baby's first stool — a dark, sticky substance that is normally passed after birth. Sometimes, however, a baby passes meconium before delivery, while still in the womb. When this happens, the amniotic fluid becomes stained with meconium. If the baby then breathes (aspirates) this meconium-stained fluid during labor or delivery, it can cause a serious condition called Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS).
Meconium in the amniotic fluid is known as "meconium-stained amniotic fluid" (MSAF), and it is visible to the obstetric team during delivery. It is an important clinical sign that requires careful monitoring and a prepared response at birth.
When a baby aspirates thick meconium, the results can range from mild breathing difficulties to severe lung obstruction, chemical pneumonitis, persistent pulmonary hypertension, and — most critically — oxygen deprivation that can cause brain damage (HIE) or death.
The medical team's response to meconium-stained fluid matters enormously. Key responsibilities include:
- Recognizing meconium-stained amniotic fluid during labor and categorizing its severity (thin vs. thick)
- Having neonatology/resuscitation team present at delivery when thick meconium is documented
- Providing appropriate airway management and suction at delivery if the baby is not vigorous
- Promptly treating respiratory failure, hypoxia, and pulmonary hypertension in the NICU
When any of these steps are missed, delayed, or performed incorrectly — and a baby suffers brain damage or death as a result — families may have a significant legal claim.
Many parents are never told that meconium was present during their delivery. Reviewing the delivery records often reveals this documentation for the first time. If your baby experienced breathing difficulties, required resuscitation, was placed on ECMO (a heart-lung bypass machine), or was diagnosed with brain damage, seizures, or cerebral palsy — and meconium was present at delivery — please contact us immediately for a free review.
A licensed attorney can work with independent medical experts to evaluate meconium aspiration cases. The review is completely free, and legal fees only apply if there is a recovery. Filing deadlines vary by state.
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