Information Literacy Excellence Award Runner-Up

STUDENT: Claire Taylor

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Keywords: labor, food, interventions, fasting, food restriction, fatigue, Mendelson syndrome, aspiration

Abstract: Since 1946, after Lester Mendelson released an article talking about the risk of aspiration of stomach contents under anesthesia, hospital policies have been strict on what the laboring mothers’ diet should be (Salik et al, 2020). Since then, research has shown that there is a decrease in the use of general anesthesia being used during birth, and yet there are hospital policies that enforce NPO status of the laboring patient (Bouvet et al, 2020). Research suggests that it is best to let the laboring patient decide what is best for them and listen to the needs of their body in that moment, as long as the patient is at low risk for cesarean birth and the food is easily digested (Huang et al, 2020). The research that will be discussed will include the effect of food against no food on the laboring patient, and if there is an effect of food fatigue and aspiration.