Loose stools in the early neonatal period

During a two-year period, the various factors associated with loose stools in the early neonatal period were studied among hospital born babies. Low birth weight babies had a lower incidence of non-infective loose stools when compared to neonates with a birth weight of more than 2500 g (p < 0.001). Newborns delivered by Cesarean section (p < 0.001) and those born to women with more than two children (p < 0.02) had a greater frequency of loose stools. Initiation of supplementary feeding and administration of antibiotics were important factors in causing loose stools. Bacterial etiology could be found only in 9.3% of newborns having loose stools. A later onset of loose stools was noted in those, whose stool culture grew bacterial organisms. Only nine newborns with loose stools required antibiotic therapy. Although loose stools were less common among low birth weight babies, they often required treatment with antimicrobials. None of them developed any complications. Since majority of them are non-bacterial and non-infective, great caution must be exercised before administering antibiotics to newborns with loose stools.