Use

Meconium contains the amniotic fluid swallowed by the fetus in the last half of pregnancy and is released as the first stools after birth. The presence of drug analytes in meconium reflects in utero exposure, allowing detection of prenatal drug exposure over an extended period prior to delivery. This panel screens for multiple drug classes—typically including amphetamines, cocaine metabolite, marijuana, opiates, and phencyclidine (PCP)—thus supporting clinical assessment and intervention planning in neonates at risk for drug exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome.