The Effect of Coffee and Warm Water on Gastrointestinal Tract After Cesarean Section: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of coffee and warm water consumption on gastrointestinal system functions after cesarean section performed under general anesthesia. DESIGN: The research employed randomized controlled experimental design. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 25 participants in the coffee group, 26 in the warm water group and 27 in the control group. In the 4th, 8th, and 12th hours following the cesarean section, the first intervention group was given coffee, the second intervention group was given warm water, and the third group was not intervened except for routine practices. The time of first bowel sound, flatus passage and defecation were determined in all groups. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05980975). RESULTS: It was found that the average occurrence of the first bowel sounds of women in Group 1 was 3.285 ± 2.472 h, while it was 5.480 ± 2.945 h in Group 2 and 8.148 ± 3.591 h in Group 3, and it was noted that bowel sounds were heard statistically significantly earlier in Group 1. When the time of flatus passage in the first 12 h was examined, there was no significant difference between the groups. There was no defecation in any group in the first 12 h. CONCLUSIONS: The current results show that coffee intake supports the first steps of the digestive process.