How is the fetus excreted in the womb?

The fetus is nourished and developed in the mother's uterus, the fetus will stay in the amniotic sac throughout the pregnancy. Thus, the fetus in the womb is always active and develops the circulatory, digestive and urinary systems throughout pregnancy. So how does the fetus excrete in the uterus?

According to research experts, the embryo starts urinating from the age of 2 months, when the baby begins to swallow amniotic fluid and then excretes its own swallowed amniotic fluid. In a more understandable way, the fetus will drink its own urine during 7 months in the womb.
As the baby develops the circulatory, urinary system, the kidneys begin to process the fetal blood flow and produce urine, which is then carried into the surrounding amniotic fluid. Fetal urine is a major source of amniotic fluid during the first few months of pregnancy.
However, fetal urine is not the same as feces, baby's urine in the amniotic fluid environment is sterile, does not contain bacteria, so it does not make the fetus sick. Because of its important role for the baby, amniotic fluid is always regenerated and renewed every 3 hours to ensure the environment is always metabolic and hygienic for the best development of the fetus.

At 31 - 34 weeks of pregnancy, every day the baby will excrete about 500ml of urine into the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is a nutrient-rich environment with the ability to regenerate and exchange, playing an important role in the development and survival of the baby in the womb. Thus, the baby in the womb is always active and develops the digestive, circulatory and urinary systems.

Baby's poop only begins to accumulate gradually from the time of 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is the result of the process of swallowing mature amniotic fluid, the degeneration of cells and the functioning of the digestive system. Meconium will gradually accumulate in the intestines of the fetus, but only after birth, during the baby's first defecation, will this amount of meconium begin to be excreted through the anus and have a dark black color or color. dark blue. Thus, in theory, the fetus only urinates but does not defecate in the womb.
However, there is a small number of about 12% of fetuses that cannot keep meconium in the intestine until the day of birth, but will pass meconium into amniotic fluid. Or when the baby is past the due date, the digestive system matures, it can also excrete meconium right in the womb. At this point, the amniotic fluid will be green or yellowish. However, this mostly does not harm the baby while in the womb, does not pose any danger to the baby's health. However, if it is not yet due to give birth, but the baby has passed meconium in the womb, it may be related to problems such as: difficult labor, pinched umbilical cord, lack of oxygen, infection...

There is a case to note that is meconium aspiration syndrome. During the 9 months and 10 days in the womb, the baby's lungs are always filled with amniotic fluid. If your baby's lungs have meconium, it will pass through the windpipe. During labor, if your baby is deprived of oxygen for a long time, he or she will have difficulty breathing and inhale meconium.
When inhaled, meconium can block the airways, causing airway obstruction, and reducing the amount of oxygen. For children who inhale meconium, they are prone to disturbances in gas exchange in the lungs and respiratory failure. Chemical irritation of meconium can also cause pneumonia, infection, and inactivation of surfactant (a substance present on the surface in the lumen of the alveoli, helping the alveoli to expand and ventilate well).

Pregnant women who notice any strange signs or see amniotic fluid dark green need to go to the hospital immediately or go for regular antenatal care to know their status and take steps to deal with the birth. In addition, a premature fetus also increases the risk of the fetus passing meconium before and during delivery, so monitor your pregnancy closely from week 37 onwards.