Can one risk fasting the obstetric patient for less than 4 hours?

Forty patients scheduled for elective Caesarean section under general anaesthesia were divided into two groups. A control group of 20 patients was treated conventionally, whereas the other group was offered a light breakfast of tea and toast within 4 h of surgery. The volume of gastric contents was significantly greater (P less than or equal to 0.02) and the pH of the aspirate significantly lower (P less than or equal to 0.05) in the study group than in the control group. It is, therefore, not recommended that obstetric patients be fasted for less than 4 h.