Early management of infants born to mothers with meconium-stained amniotic fluid: a survey in French delivery rooms]

The meconium aspiration syndrome is the first cause of respiratory distress in full term newborns. At birth, management includes systematical oropharyngeal suctioning, before and after shoulders delivery, followed by tracheal suction. During last 10 years, many trials were published which discuss again the value of this strategy. AIM: To assess practices of the current management of births with a meconial amniotic liquid in the French maternities. METHODS: Observational survey by written questionnaires sent to the 617 French maternities. RESULTS: The rate of answers was of 54.3%. The incidence of the births presenting a meconial amniotic fluid was of 8.2%, complicated of meconium aspiration syndrome in 4.7%. In case of birth with presence of a meconial amniotic liquid, half of the maternities resorted systematically to oropharyngeal suctioning before shoulders delivery. A glottis exposition under laryngoscopy was practiced of principle for half of the newborn. Tracheal suctioning was achieved systematically in a quarter of the establishments. These techniques, with the exception of suctioning before clearing of the shoulders, were especially been achieved in a systematic way in the maternities of I and II A levels. CONCLUSION: This survey shows the necessity of harmonization of the practices in France for the management of the births with a meconial amniotic liquid.