INTRODUCTION
gastroschisis, infections, infection, NB, sepsis, vomiting, abdominal distension, oropharyngeal
PRETERM BIRTH, GASTROSCHISIS, INFECTIONS, INFECTION, SECONDARY, CAVITY, STASIS, SEPSIS, COMPLICATIONS, INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
The oropharyngeal administration of colostrum, popularly known as colostrum therapy,
uses raw colostrum dispensed directly into the oral mucosa of very low birth weight
preterm infants in small volumes. It interacts with lymph tissue and permeates the
oral cavity into the oropharynx, activating the immune system and modulating the
inflammatory response of newborns (NBs).It is an outstanding therapeutic resource because it provides better neonatal
outcomes in NBs who are subject to complications inherent to preterm birth or
acquired in the hospital environment.Colostrum is the secretion produced by the mammary gland at the end of pregnancy and
in the first days after delivery and contains numerous immunological components
transported from the maternal circulation. Some studies suggest that the earlier the
delivery, the longer it takes to close the junctions between the alveolar cells of
the mammary gland, allowing greater passage of immune components into the colostrum,
which may have biological significance for the protection of the NB against
infections.Studies proposing the oropharyngeal administration of colostrum in neonatal units
involving preterm NBs have not included those with gastroschisis.Newborns with gastroschisis remain several days without feeding or oral experiences
and are dependent on parenteral feeding. In most cases, the initiation of feeding is
delayed due to reactions to food (vomiting, abdominal distension, stasis, increased
gastric residues, among others). Clinical conditions associated with infection in
the catheter used for parenteral feeding and other neonatal conditions also
contribute to feeding delay.Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of colostrum therapy on the number of
days from birth to the beginning of a suckling diet in NBs diagnosed with simple
gastroschisis. The secondary clinical outcomes were to evaluate the effects of this
intervention on nutritional aspects (days on zero feeding, days on parenteral
nutrition, days to start enteral diet and days to achieve full feeding), sepsis and
length of hospital stay.