Do fetuses have bowel movements?

Answer 1

Fetus can have a bowel movement. It is called meconium and is a very dark green - almost black. This used to be always considered a sign that the baby was in some sort of distress, especially when it happens in labor. However, more recent studies have found that it may be more common than was previously realized and it is NOT always a sign of distress. In fact, it is usually NOT a sign of anything wrong at all. Only rarely does it mean there is a problem.

Claudine Crews CPM, LM

Additional information: Meconium aspiration is VERY rare. Most babies who pass meconium prior to birth have no problems whatsoever. In fact, the newly revised Neonatal Resuscitation Protocols from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association have removed routine suctioning of infants who have meconium staining from their guidelines. The only time they recommend deep suctioning for meconium is IF the newly born baby is depressed and needs resuscitation. This is very rare, especially if the baby has not been drugged or subjected to artificially induced or augmented labor.

Answer 2

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Do fetuses have bowel movements?

Answer 3

Waste from a fetus is usually cleared through the umbilical cord. If a fetus has a bowel movement in the womb this is called "meconium staining". It is usually a very serious and ominous sign at birth because these children generally have been in respiratory distress. Meconium aspiration in the lungs is usually very bad because it almost always results in meconium pneumonia which must be treated very aggressively by antibiotics.

Answer 4

I'm pretty sure that my What to Expect When Your Expecting book said that a fetus could. The waste, called meconium, is from the digestive tract, and is normally passed after birth as the first stool. If the amniotic fluid is greenish brown, they probably passed it and could be a sign of fetal distress. But the way that I understand it is that a healthy developing fetus does not have regular bowel movements. -Lindseylu, mother of 2

Answer 5

No, they do not. They urinate while they are in utero, but they do not have bowel movements. The first substance they pass as a bowel movement is called meconium, and if it is passed while the baby is still inside the mom, it is called meconium aspiration and it can be serious, even life threatening.

Answer 6

The firsty bowel is called mucacuain (? spelling) it is usually after birth & if happen before birth can lead to some complications as the baby breathes it in & it coats the lungs

Answer 7

NO. When a baby has a BM in the womb it is called Meconium, and can be deadly. Sometimes during delivary this happens, and if it does, you will not get to hold your baby until they suck out it's lungs, and make sure that he/she is ok.

Answer 8

Normally, no, but sometimes if over the due date or sometimes for other reasons they can, but if they do there is a chance that the baby can ingest it and become very ill. My husband's niece did this, but now she is 9 years-old and very healthy.

Answer 9

They pee; they swallow amniotic fluid and pee it back out.

They do not, however, normally poop while still in the womb. Some babies poop during delivery, or close to delivery. It's called meconium, and if they get it in their lungs while they're being born it can be very dangerous.

Answer 10

No- the fetus gets it's nutrition through the mother's placenta and blood. There's nothing in the baby's digestive system until it eats food. Others have asked this same question...