LAUSR

BACKGROUND Meconium-stained amniotic fluid is considered as the bad predictor of fetal outcome having significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to compare immediate fetal outcomes in meconium-stained amniotic fluid and clear amniotic fluid. METHODS Hospital-based comparative observational study was conducted from a total of 204 women admitted in labour room at a tertiary level hospital. Among them, 102 were cases with meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and 102 were comparison groups with clear amniotic fluid. Fetal outcome was compared between these two groups. RESULTS The study findings revealed that majority (74.5%) in the study group had cesarean section as compared to 14.7% in the comparative group. More than one-fourth (26.5%) of the newborns in the study group had moderate to severe birth asphyxia, needed resuscitation (25.5%) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (25.5%) as compared to 3.9% from the comparative group. Maternal age (COR=0.34, 95%CI=0.15-0.81), color of amniotic fluid (COR=0.11; 95%CI=0.04-0.33), meconium consistency (COR=0.27; 95%CI=0.17-0.43), and mode of delivery (COR=0.36; 95%CI=0.17-0.79) were associated with birth asphyxia in bivariate analysis. Maternal age (AOR=2.66; 95%CI=1.04-6.81) and color of amniotic fluid (AOR=11.50; 95%CI=2.97-44.56) were associated with birth asphyxia in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Meconium-stained amniotic fluid was associated with increased frequency of cesarean section and adverse fetal outcome with birth asphyxia being the major complications compared with clear amniotic fluid. Predictors of birth asphyxia were maternal age and color of amniotic fluid.