ISSN: 2161-0932
Dereje Tegene*, Sharew Teshome, Hunde Lami
Background: In day-to-day practice of obstetrics, meconium stained amniotic fluid is a commonly observed phenomenon. Various risk factors that may cause stress on the fetus which lead to meconium stained amniotic fluid. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of meconium stained amniotic fluid and its associated factors among women who gave birth at term. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 314 laboring women at Adama Hospital Medical College, Southeast Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Epi- info 7 and SPSS version 20 were used for data entry and analysis. Results: The prevalence of meconium stained amniotic fluid was 23.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 19.1– 29.3%). Late term pregnancy (AOR=8.82; 95% CI: 3.18-24.49), Oligohydraminos (AOR=5.09; 95% CI: 1.29- 20.03), Antepartum hemorrhage (AOR=8.43; 95% CI: 2.02 - 35.17), Premature rupture of membrane (AOR= 10.06; 95% CI: 1.27-79.98), and Non-reassuring fetal heart rate pattern (AOR=4.78; 95% CI: 1.64-13.98) were significantly associated with meconium stained amniotic fluid. Conclusions: The prevalence of meconium stained amniotic fluid was high. Late term pregnancy, oligohyraminos, ante-partum hemorrhage, non-reassuring fetal heart rate pattern, and premature rupture of the membrane were factors associated with an increased risk for meconium stained amniotic fluid.