Breast-milk Enema Administration to Stimulate Passage of Meconium (BEAM)

July 24, 2026 updated by: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Breast-Milk Enema Administration to Stimulate Meconium Passage in Preterm Infants

Lack of passage of meconium in preterm infants delays feeding advancement and may represent a risk factor for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP). Usual management of meconium impaction has included glycerin suppositories and normal saline enemas. Various methods are used in routine neonatal care to promote meconium evacuation; however, there is no consensus on the agents used and the frequency of applications

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Breast milk is a natural oil-in-water emulsion that can soften meconium, lubricate, and stimulate the intestinal wall, making it easier to excrete meconium. The osmotic pressure of breast milk is a benign stimulus to the digestive tract of premature infants. In addition, breast milk contains bioactive compounds that may positively influence gut motility and the microbiome and has been shown to decrease the incidence of NEC. A small-volume rectal enemas using mother's own breast milk in preterm infants born at <28 weeks' gestation with delayed passage of meconium (>48 hours of life) are feasible and safe, and may be associated with earlier meconium passage and improved early feeding outcomes without increasing the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or other gastrointestinal complications.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
20

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Preterm infants born at >23 and <28 weeks' gestational age born at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital or transferred in the first 24 hours of life.
  • postnatal age >48 hours, absence of spontaneous passage of meconium by >48 hours of life
  • availability of mother's own milk
  • written informed consent obtained from a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infants with Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) ≥ stage II
  • spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP)
  • gastrointestinal or anorectal malformations
  • infants that have developed severe hemodynamic instability or sepsis with need for vasoactive drugs
  • significant hematologic abnormalities such as neutropenia or thrombocytopenia.
  • Infants will also be excluded in the absence of written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: breast milk
A small-volume rectal enema consisting of 5 mL/kg of fresh mother's own breast milk will be administered as a single dose, with the option for one repeat dose at 24 hours if clinically indicated. The prescribed enema volume (5 mL/kg) will be calculated based on current weight and warmed to 37 °C using an approved breast milk warmer.
Drug: breast milk
A small-volume rectal enema consisting of 5 mL/kg of fresh mother's own breast milk will be administered as a single dose, with the option for one repeat dose at 24 hours if clinically indicated.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recruitment rate
Time Frame: Day 1
Recruitment rate
Day 1
Protocol adherence rate
Time Frame: Day 1
Protocol adherence rate
Day 1
Incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
Time Frame: Day 14
Incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
Day 14
Incidence of culture proven sepsis
Time Frame: Day 7
Incidence of culture proven sepsis
Day 7
Incidence of rectal or gastrointestinal injury
Time Frame: Day 7
Incidence of rectal or gastrointestinal injury - Rectal trauma will be assessed clinically by the presence of bleeding, fissure, or other visible anorectal injury on physical examination.
Day 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to achieve full enteral feeds
Time Frame: Day 14
Enteral feeds (enteral nutrition or tube feeding) times
Day 14
Duration of parenteral nutrition
Time Frame: Day 14
Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a method of delivering essential nutrients directly into the bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) catheter.
Day 14
Time to first stool following intervention
Time Frame: Day 7
Time to first stool following intervention
Day 7
Total length of hospital stay
Time Frame: Day 120
Total length of hospital stay
Day 120
Number of central line days
Time Frame: Day 120
Number of central line days
Day 120

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ricardo J Rodriquez, MD, Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB00150290

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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