title: Early versus delayed oral feeding after cesarean delivery under different anesthetic methods--a randomized controlled trial anesthesia, feeding in cesarean delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of early feeding after cesarean delivery under different anesthetic methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred women with elective cesarean delivery were randomly assigned to early oral feeding (EOF) or routine oral feeding (ROF) groups. EOF patients were informed that they could begin taking fluids orally (regime I) as soon as 2 hours after the delivery and then gradually progress to solid foods (regime III), if tolerated. ROF patients were informed that they could start regime I right after bowel sounds were heard on examination and then gradually move on to regime III. Hospitalization time and total time to ambulation (primary outcomes), gasstool discharge time and onset of bowel sounds (secondary outcomes) were compared in groups A [EOF patients after regional anesthesia (n=49)}, B [EOF patients after general anesthesia (n=48)}, C [ROF patients after regional anesthesia (n=47)} and 0 [ROF patients after general anesthesia (n=48)].
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in primary and secondary outcomes between group A and the remaining groups, especially group D. The status of patients from group B was not better than group C. In fact, the latter were discharged home sooner and passage of gas, as well as initiation of regime I occurred earlier as compared to the former
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cesarean section under regional anesthesia and encouragement of oral feeding 2 hours after the operation should be recommended in order to acnieve postoperative recovery and early hospital discharge. Routine oral feeding (right after bowel sounds are heard on examination) after cesarean section under general anesthesia should be the last choice.
authors: Yunus
authors: Y
authors: Aydin
authors: Sabahattin
authors: S
authors: Altunyurt
authors: Tufan
authors: T
authors: Oge
authors: Fezan
authors: F
authors: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000379:methods*; D005248:Feeding Methods; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors