Meconium in the investigation of prenatal drug exposure

Bordin, DM; de Campos, EG; Bigão, VLCP; Gomes, NC; Melo, JS; Brambila, RD; Mello, MG; De Martinis, BS

Meconium in the investigation of prenatal drug exposure

Bordin, DM de Campos, EG Bigão, VLCP Gomes, NC Melo, JS Brambila, RD Mello, MG De Martinis, BS

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Clinica Chimica Acta, 2026, 579, pp. 120682
Issue Date:: 2026-01-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Bordin, DM
dc.contributor.author	de Campos, EG
dc.contributor.author	Bigão, VLCP
dc.contributor.author	Gomes, NC
dc.contributor.author	Melo, JS
dc.contributor.author	Brambila, RD
dc.contributor.author	Mello, MG
dc.contributor.author	De Martinis, BS
dc.date.accessioned	2026-04-17T00:09:35Z
dc.date.available	2026-04-17T00:09:35Z
dc.date.issued	2026-01-15
dc.identifier.citation	Clinica Chimica Acta, 2026, 579, pp. 120682
dc.identifier.issn	0009-8981
dc.identifier.issn	1873-3492
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194747
dc.description.abstract	Fetal drug exposure remains a critical public health concern with both maternal and neonatal health implications. In clinical and forensic toxicology, meconium has emerged as a valuable alternative biological matrix to detect prenatal drug exposure. Use of meconium offers a longer detection window than maternal blood or neonatal urine, while enabling non-invasive postnatal collection. Furthermore, advances in analytical techniques, particularly in chromatography and mass spectrometry, have significantly enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of drugs and metabolites detection in meconium. These improvements have expanded its utility in neonatal screening, interventions in maternal care, and legal proceedings related to child protection. Emerging research into the physicochemical and biological mechanisms of xenobiotic incorporation into meconium has improved the interpretation of quantitative results and facilitated the identification of novel biomarkers. The growing application of meconium testing presents an opportunity to refine early intervention strategies, optimize prenatal care, and better characterize long-term neurodevelopmental and behavioral risks associated with in utero substance exposure. This review provides an integrative overview of meconium as an alternative biological matrix for diagnostics and monitoring of the exposure to licit and illicit substances by examining its formation and composition, followed by analytical approaches. It also discusses the implications of meconium toxicology for optimizing prenatal care, guiding neonatal interventions, and informing long-term risk assessment of neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal substance exposure.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Clinica Chimica Acta
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.cca.2025.120682
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1103 Clinical Sciences
dc.subject.classification	General Clinical Medicine
dc.subject.classification	3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
dc.subject.classification	3202 Clinical sciences
dc.title	Meconium in the investigation of prenatal drug exposure
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	579
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-04-17T00:09:34Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	579

Abstract:

Fetal drug exposure remains a critical public health concern with both maternal and neonatal health implications. In clinical and forensic toxicology, meconium has emerged as a valuable alternative biological matrix to detect prenatal drug exposure. Use of meconium offers a longer detection window than maternal blood or neonatal urine, while enabling non-invasive postnatal collection. Furthermore, advances in analytical techniques, particularly in chromatography and mass spectrometry, have significantly enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of drugs and metabolites detection in meconium. These improvements have expanded its utility in neonatal screening, interventions in maternal care, and legal proceedings related to child protection. Emerging research into the physicochemical and biological mechanisms of xenobiotic incorporation into meconium has improved the interpretation of quantitative results and facilitated the identification of novel biomarkers. The growing application of meconium testing presents an opportunity to refine early intervention strategies, optimize prenatal care, and better characterize long-term neurodevelopmental and behavioral risks associated with in utero substance exposure. This review provides an integrative overview of meconium as an alternative biological matrix for diagnostics and monitoring of the exposure to licit and illicit substances by examining its formation and composition, followed by analytical approaches. It also discusses the implications of meconium toxicology for optimizing prenatal care, guiding neonatal interventions, and informing long-term risk assessment of neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal substance exposure.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194747