Racial disparity in meconium-stained amniotic fluid and meconium aspiration syndrome in the United States, 1989-2000.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and meconium aspiration syndrome, as well as the differences in case fatality from meconium aspiration syndrome, between non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white infants.

Methods: We studied non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white live births with weights greater than 2.5 kg and gestational ages greater than 35 weeks, using the linked US birth and infant death cohorts for three periods: 1989-1991, 1995-1997, and 1998-2000.