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Acquisition of full enteral feeds may depend on stooling pattern in very premature infants

Miguel Sáenz de Pipaón Marcos1, Ma Teresa Montes Bueno, Belén SanJosé

  • 1Department of Neonatology, La Paz University Hospital, P. de la Castellana 261, Madrid, Spain. msaenz.hulp@salud.madrid.org

Journal of Perinatal Medicine
|July 4, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Establishing a normal bowel habit in very premature infants is key to achieving full enteral feeding. Earlier feeding tolerance is linked to improved growth outcomes, reducing postnatal growth failure.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infant Nutrition

Background:

  • Very premature infants (<28 weeks gestational age) often experience feeding difficulties.
  • Establishing enteral feeding is crucial for growth and development in this vulnerable population.
  • Bowel habit development is a potential indicator of gastrointestinal maturity and feeding tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between achieving a normal stooling pattern and the attainment of full enteral feeding.
  • To determine if earlier normalization of bowel habits impacts the time to full enteral feeding.
  • To assess the relationship between timely full enteral feeding and infant growth.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective observational study of 121 infants with gestational age <28 weeks.
  • Standardized protocol for rectal stimulation and enemas for infants with abdominal distension and no defecation.
  • Defined age of normal bowel habit (T-NBH) and time to full enteral feeding (T-120); used multivariable linear regression.

Main Results:

  • The median age for normal bowel habit (T-NBH) was 16 days, and the median time to full enteral feeding (T-120) was also 16 days.
  • Earlier T-NBH was significantly associated with earlier T-120 (r=0.625, P<0.0001).
  • Earlier achievement of full enteral feeding correlated with a less pronounced decrease in weight z-score (r=-0.446, P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

  • Normalization of bowel habit is a critical factor in achieving full enteral feeding in very immature infants.
  • Early establishment of full enteral feeding is associated with reduced postnatal growth failure.
  • Monitoring bowel habit can inform strategies for optimizing nutrition and growth in extremely preterm infants.
Abstract

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