Question

Cause of greenish-black stool in a neonate

• A. Meconium
• B. Biliverdin
• C. Bilirubin
• D. Urochrome

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In neonates, the presence of greenish-black stool can be traced to the components found within their early stools. The initial stools of a newborn, known as meconium, are characteristically dark and sticky. The color of meconium is influenced by several pigments and substances, including bile pigments such as biliverdin and bilirubin.

Biliverdin is a bile pigment that has a distinct green color. It is a direct result of the breakdown of heme. In the neonate’s intestines, biliverdin does not yet get fully metabolized into bilirubin due to immature liver function, which leads to its presence in the meconium, giving it a greenish hue.

Unlike biliverdin, bilirubin is a yellow pigment, and in older infants and adults, it is responsible for the yellow coloration of stool. However, in newborns, the meconium’s greenish-black color is primarily due to the presence of biliverdin.

Therefore, the correct cause of greenish-black stool in a neonate is Biliverdin. Other options do not contribute to this characteristic stool color in neonates.