Objective: To evaluate the effect of early versus delayed feeding after caesarean section on the woman's satisfaction.
Design: Randomised, controlled trial.
Setting: Tertiary care hospital.
Population: Healthy pregnant women were enrolled for the study during antenatal care visits.
Methods: Uncomplicated singleton pregnancies undergoing a planned or intrapartum caesarean section performed under regional anaesthesia were randomly assigned to either (1) a 'delayed feeding' group who started oral fluids 4 hours after surgery with diet introduced at 24 hours; or (2) an 'early feeding' group who were offered a regular diet within the first 8 hours.
Main outcome measures: Primary outcome was the woman's satisfaction measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS) before their hospital discharge. The secondary outcomes were: pain, anorexia, abdominal distension, persistent nausea and/or vomiting, time to the first bowel movement and passage of flatus.
Results: Two hundred women were recruited, with 103 randomised to delayed feeding and 97 to early feeding. The woman's satisfaction (mean VAS +/- SD) was similar in both groups; 73 +/- 17 mm in the delayed feeding group and 77 +/- 13 mm in the early feeding group (P= 0.12). A statistically significant difference was observed in mean postoperative pain: 29 +/- 13 mm in the delayed feeding group versus 24 +/- 11 mm in the early feeding group (P= 0.008). No other significant differences in postoperative variables were recorded, and there were no major postoperative complications observed in either group.
Conclusion: Early feeding after uncomplicated caesarean in low-risk women is equivalent in terms of the woman's satisfaction and the reduced perceived pain.