Rectal Stimulation in Premature and Full-Term Newborns: A Narrative Review

Nurse professionals often practice rectal stimulation in a hospital setting to help premature or full-term babies evacuate or to avoid abdominal pain caused by gas colic. Paediatricians also recommend this technique to newborn caregivers, who can carry it out independently at home. To the best of our knowledge, there are no established national guidelines on how to implement this technique safely or what the clinical/care indications are for its use. Our purpose is to synthesise the evidence on the nursing practice of rectal stimulation in preterm and full-term newborns.

A narrative literature review was conducted. A search was conducted across six databases in February, followed by a manual review of the included studies' bibliographies, and another search in October 2023. The search strategy identified studies published without date limits. The articles were screened according to the inclusion criteria.

Sixty-two articles were retrieved. Following the screening process, only two articles were selected for inclusion in the final synthesis. Both studies evaluated the effects of enemas and/or rectal stimulation on feeding tolerance and bowel habits in preterm newborns. Even if both studies included information on when rectal stimulation in preterm newborns is indicated and how it is conducted, they are insufficient to provide a clear statement for nursing practice.

Nowadays, nurses perform rectal stimulation and teach it to caregivers of newborns without shared international or national guidelines or procedures focused on patient safety. It is desirable to conduct scientific studies to inform nursing practice and enhance the quality of nursing care delivered. This review also highlights a critical gap in evidence regarding the use of rectal stimulation in full-term newborns and in community settings.