The MedMal Room: Meconium at Birth. What Parents and Doctors/Nurses Should Know and When It Signals Medical Negligence

Meconium is often blamed for bad outcomes. The truth is more important and more revealing for families and clinicians seeking answers.

Meconium is the newborn’s first stool. It is dark, sticky, and usually passed after birth. When it appears in the amniotic fluid before or during labor, it becomes a signal that the medical team must take seriously. Many families are told that meconium alone caused a brain injury or disability. In truth, meconium is rarely the cause. The danger comes wh…