First meconium time may be a predictive factor for infantile colic: a prospectivestudy

Objective: Meconium passage is a good marker of a normal gastrointestinal tract and the general health of a neonate.There are both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal hypotheses for the etiology of infantile colic. The aim of thepresent study was to determine whether first meconium time could predict infantile colic (IC) later.Method: A follow-up study was conducted with 248 consecutive singleton full-term healthy neonates. The demographicvariables, age at first feed, time of first meconium, number of feeds until the first meconium, and number of defecationsduring the first 3 days of life were recorded. The characteristics of the neonates were analyzed for association with IC.Results: First meconium time was 9.7±10.2 h and 6.8±7.8 h in the IC and non-IC groups, respectively (p=0.014). Therisk of IC was increased by 1.99 times for those who did not have their first meconium until 5.75 h after birth (95% CI:1.13–3.51) and by 2.11 times for those who did not have more than 17 defecations in the first 72 h (95% CI: 1.19–3.74).Conclusions: Neonates who do not have their first meconium in the first 5.75 h after birth and who have fewer than 17defecations in the first 72 h of life are at risk of IC development.