[Gastro-intestinal disorders in premature neonates receiving early enteral feeding (author's transl)].

Gastro-intestinal (G-I) disorders were studied in 95 premature neonates. Each child presented with at least one of the features usually associated with mesenteric ischemia. Nearly all the children had been fed early with tyndallized maternal milk. No certain necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was observed; however, it was suspected in 4 children (4.2%) and in 7 (7.3%), minor changed occurred. Among the 13 factors examined which might be responsible for inducing NEC, only 2 were correlated with G-I disorders: low birth weight (less than 1,500 gm) and occurrence of secondary apnea or asphyxia incidents during mechanical ventilation. This study led to the following practical conclusion: maintenance of early enteral feeding in prematures theoretically at risk for G-I disorders, taking into account the low incidence of severe G-I impairments and of the advantages of such a feeding method, while carefully supervising intestinal symptoms; preventative and temporary interruption of feeding in low weight prematures, in case of acute asphyxia or hypoxia episodes.