Neonatal Intestinal Obstruction: Prenatal Factors and Postnatal Outcomes

Neonatal Intestinal Obstruction: A Retrospective Observational Study on Prenatal Prognostic Factors and Postnatal Outcomes

Neonatal intestinal obstruction is one of the most common surgical emergencies in newborns. In some cases, signs of possible intestinal obstruction can already be detected during pregnancy through prenatal ultrasound. However, not all prenatal ultrasound findings accurately predict whether a newborn will truly have an intestinal obstruction after birth.

The purpose of this retrospective observational study is to evaluate which prenatal ultrasound findings are most strongly associated with confirmed intestinal obstruction after birth. In particular, the study aims to identify a specific cutoff value for fetal bowel dilation that best predicts postnatal intestinal obstruction. Other prenatal ultrasound features, such as excess amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios), ascites, echogenic bowel, and other abdominal findings, will also be analyzed.

The study will include newborns with a prenatal suspicion of intestinal obstruction who were evaluated at Meyer Children's Hospital between January 2016 and December 2024. Researchers will review existing medical records and ultrasound data. No additional tests or interventions will be performed for study purposes.

The results of this study may help improve prenatal counseling, optimize delivery planning in specialized centers, and support early postnatal management of newborns at risk for intestinal obstruction.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Neonates from singleton pregnancies with prenatal ultrasound suspicion of intestinal obstructive pathology
• Availability of complete postnatal follow-up data

Exclusion Criteria:

• Missing delivery data
• Missing prenatal ultrasound data