What is meconium ileus?
Meconium is the first stool (bowel movement) that a newborn has. This stool is very thick and sticky. Meconium ileus is a bowel obstruction that occurs when the meconium in your child’s intestine is even thicker and stickier than normal meconium, creating a blockage in a part of the small intestine called the ileum. Most infants with meconium ileus have a disease called cystic fibrosis.
The term meconium ileus refers to a condition characterized by meconium that becomes congested within the ileum, or pelvic area. Meconium is a collection of waste materials and dead cells that accumulates within the bowels of an unborn fetus. Most times it is passed during the infant’s first bowel movements within a few days of birth. Sometimes, however, it becomes compacted, causing an obstruction in the ileus region, or the flat area of the pelvis. Meconium ileus is generally a first indication of cystic fibrosis, although many cases do not have a known cause. There is also no link between the presence of meconium ileus and the severity of cystic fibrosis. The first signs of the condition include vomiting and bowel distention shortly after birth. Obstructions may be unblocked by using medications to liquefy and release the meconium. In some severe cases, surgical procedures may be needed.
