Final answer:
Meconium-stained fluid is usually greenish or yellowish and may signal fetal distress, particularly fetal hypoxia. Meconium aspiration syndrome can be a complication of inhaling meconium-stained fluid into the lungs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The color of meconium-stained fluid is typically greenish or yellowish, indicating that the fetus has passed meconium into the amniotic fluid. This passage of meconium before or during birth often signals fetal distress, particularly fetal hypoxia, which is oxygen deprivation. It can be associated with various factors including maternal drug abuse, maternal hypertension, a long labor, or a difficult birth. Meconium passage is a complication often seen in full-term or post-term newborns, as it is not commonly passed before the gastrointestinal system has matured after 34 weeks of gestation. The presence of meconium in amniotic fluid requires immediate attention, as meconium can induce a gasping reflex in the fetus, increasing the risk of meconium inhalation into the lungs. Moreover, meconium interferes with the antibiotic properties of the amniotic fluid, which can make the newborn and mother more vulnerable to bacterial infections.