Meconium Plug in Cystic Fibrosis
Meconium is a thick and sticky greenish black substance that forms in the intestines of a Reference fetus Opens New Window. It is produced as the fetus swallows and digests the amniotic fluid inside the womb. When the baby is born, meconium is the first stool the baby passes.
Most normal newborns pass the meconium within 48 hours after birth. Some babies cannot pass the meconium because of a blockage in the intestines, known as a meconium plug. In babies born with Reference cystic fibrosis Opens New Window, the intestines may become blocked from excessive mucus production. Stuck meconium must be flushed out by an Reference enema Opens New Window. Sometimes the blockage is so severe that surgery is needed.
Credits
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: June 15, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Reference Susanna McColley, MD - Pediatric Pulmonology |
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