Final answer:
The highest priority intervention for a laboring client with meconium-stained fluid is to aspirate the newborn’s airways to prevent meconium aspiration complications.
Step-by-step explanation:
When artificial rupture of the membranes of a laboring client reveals meconium-stained fluid, the greatest priority intervention is to aspirate meconium from the newborn before the first breath is taken to prevent complications such as aspiration pneumonia or pulmonary hypertension. This aspiration must be done as soon as the head is delivered by an obstetrician, while the rest of the infant’s body is still inside the birth canal. Aspiration of meconium with the first breath can lead to severe respiratory issues.
Meconium passage indicates fetal distress, commonly due to oxygen deprivation, and can lead to neonatal sepsis, a bacterial infection, or inflammation of the fetal membranes and uterine lining. Given that meconium inhalation can be life-threatening, immediate and thorough suctioning of the airways is vital to safeguard the infant’s health.