Effect of Induction of Early Meconium Evacuation using Glycerin Suppositories in Promoting Feeding Tolerance in Low Birth Weight Infants

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the effect of Induction of early meconium evacuation using glycerin suppository in promoting feeding tolerance in low birth weight infants

Methodology: This quasi experimental study was conducted in the department of neonatalogy, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. 120 neonates were included in both groups of the study. Standard treatment was given in control group whereas in intervention group along with standard treatment glycerin suppository was used. Preterm neonates who were low birth weight and of either gender were included in the study. The neonates with major congenial malformation, hemodynamic unstable, known cases of metabolic disease and confirmed cases of coagulopathy were excluded in the study. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the data. Independent sample t test was used to compare the time to achieve full feed and time to achieve complete evacuation of meconium between two
2 groups. p value 0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: The mean gestational age was 30.30±1.19 weeks. Out of 240, 127 (52.9%) neonates were male. All neonates included in the study have a very low birth weight range from 1 to 1.6 kg with a mean weight of 1.32±1.29 kg. The intervention group showed a significant low time to achieve full feed and low time to achieve complete evacuation of meconium 11.21±1.54 and 4.99±1.16 days as compared to the control group 12.73±1.46 and 5.97±1.1 days, with p value 0.000.
Conclusion: Glycerin suppository helps to reduce the time to achieve full evacuation of meconium.
Keywords: Full Enteral Feed (FEF), Glycerin Suppository, Meconium, Preterm Birth, Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW)