Role of Antibiotics in Preventing Infection in Babies Born Through Meconium Stained Liquor

Summary

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the role of antibiotics in preventing infection in babies born through meconium stained amniotic fluid. Normally babies do not pass meconium while in utero. In response to hypoxic stress babies may pass meconium before birth and are likely to be candidates for problems related to meconium passage and its inhalation. It is believed that these babies are more prone to infections as meconium enhances bacterial growth and may predispose such babies to secondary bacterial infections. In addition, meconium passage has been incriminated as a pointer of in-utero infection. Whether use of antibiotics in babies born through meconium stained amniotic fluid will reduce the infectious episodes and complications thereof or not is not clear. Moreover, there is not much published literature to prove or refute the same. Most clinicians have a low threshold for using antibiotics in such babies. In view of the uncertainty regarding antibiotic usage in these babies, the investigators decided to investigate the role of prophylactic antibiotics in prevention of neonatal sepsis in babies born through meconium stained amniotic fluid.

Timeline

Start

2010-06

Primary completion

2011-01

Completion

2011-01

Publications

• Goel A, Nangia S, Saili A, Garg A, Sharma S, Randhawa VS. Role of prophylactic antibiotics in neonates born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF)--a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Pediatr. 2015 Feb;174(2):237-43. doi: 10.1007/s00431-014-2385-4. Epub 2014 Aug 3.

Drugs

Indications