Breast milk mouth care may boost gut health in rare birth defect

NCT ID NCT03393832

Ongoing Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Baylor College of Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at whether giving oral care with breast milk (or sterile water if breast milk is not available) can improve feeding tolerance and gut bacteria in newborns with gastroschisis, a rare abdominal wall defect. Researchers will follow 27 infants in the NICU to see if this simple practice helps them start and reach full feeds sooner and reduces hospital stay. The study is observational, meaning it observes outcomes without assigning treatments.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: breast milk (oral care)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple, low-cost way to improve feeding and reduce infections in infants with gastroschisis.
What could go wrong: This is a small observational study with only 27 infants, so results may not apply to all babies. It is not a treatment trial and cannot prove cause and effect.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

gastroschisis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

GASTROSCHISIS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Texas Children's Hospital Fetal Center and Newborn Center

Houston, Texas, 770230, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.