Determinants of prolonged oral cecal transit time during late phase pregnancy

We examined the course of delayed oral cecal transit time (OCTT) and the impact of different variables in late pregnancy. Thirty-three women in late trimester were evaluated and 29 were re-tested post partum. Results were compared with 17 controls. A breath hydrogen test was used to measure OCTT. The impact of 3 demographic and 5 biochemical parameters was evaluated. Oral cecal transit time (99.2 +/- 7.8 min) during pregnancy was significantly prolonged compared both with controls (63.5 +/- 8.7 min) (p = 0.0042) and post partum (68.5 +/- 6.4 min) (p < 0.002). However, 40% during pregnancy had a normal OCTT. Post partum, 8 (29.6%) continued to have delayed OCTT. Serum free T4 levels were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.0001) and post partum (p < 0.001), but did not correlate with OCTT. Gravidity rank correlated with OCTT (p = 0.022). By multivariate analysis, only 17% of the observed variability during pregnancy could be explained by these parameters. In controls, a formula including progesterone and gastrin levels was significant in explaining 54.7% of variability. Application of both formulae to post-partum returnees overpredicted OCTT; however, the one from pregnancy was more accurate. We conclude that in pregnancy multiple factors account for delayed OCTT and these may be different from controls and post partum. Pregnancy may still influence OCTT post partum.