Approximately 10 to 15 percent of babies who inherit CF have meconium ileus at birth.
The meconium of a newborn with meconium ileus is thickened and sticky, due to the presence of thickened mucus from the intestinal glands.
Presence of meconium ileus is considered highly indicative of CF.
A child born with meconium ileus will be tested before leaving the hospital.
Infants with cystic fibrosis are more likely to experience meconium ileus (obstruction of a dark green material in the intestine in newborns).