title: Status of gastric lavage in neonates born with meconium stained amniotic fluid: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonates born with meconium stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) can develop feed intolerance during first few days of post -natal period. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with the objectives of to find out the incidence of feed intolerance in vigorous neonates with MSAF who received gastric lavage (GL) as compared to those in whom it was not performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized controlled trial on 500 neonates satisfying the inclusion criteria, 230 were allocated to GL and 270 to no lavage group through computer generated random numbers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in the incidence of vomiting was found between GL and no lavage group (8.7 % vs 11.5 %, p = 0.305). Feed intolerance had no relationship with gestational age, gender, birth weight and mode of delivery. No neonates of GL group developed any complications related to the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, it may be concluded that gastric lavage is not required in neonates born with MSAF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. lokraj94@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lokraj
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. gaurishankarshah@live.com.
authors.forename: Gauri Shankar
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. rupasingh@live.com.
authors.forename: Rupa Rajbhandari
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. hanoonparas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hanoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. opmpedia@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Om Prakash
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008470:Meconium; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*