meconium
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. The first feces of a newborn infant: A thick, sticky, and dark greenish-black substance that accumulates in the intestines of a fetus and is typically passed within the first few days after birth.
Usage
- Primary Usage: The term is used almost exclusively in medical, biological, and parenting contexts to describe the initial bowel movements of a newborn.
- Key Characteristics: It is composed of materials ingested by the fetus in the womb, such as amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, and epithelial cells. Its passage is a sign of a healthy gastrointestinal tract.
Examples
- The pediatrician checked the baby's diaper to ensure the meconium had been passed.
- The presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid during labor can be a concern for the baby's health.
- New parents are often surprised by the dark, tar-like appearance of their newborn's first meconium.
Advanced Usage
- Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS): A serious medical condition where a newborn breathes a mixture of meconium and amniotic fluid into the lungs around the time of delivery.
- The delivery team was prepared for potential complications due to signs of meconium in the amniotic sac.
Variants and Related Words
- Meconial (adjective): Pertaining to or resembling meconium.
- The meconial stool is distinct from later transitional stools.
Synonyms
- First stool
- Neonatal feces
- Newborn's first feces
Note: There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this specific, technical term.
Noun
- thick dark green mucoid material that is the first feces of a newborn child