Gastric Ultrasound After Clear Fluid Intake in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Pregnant Women

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents during anesthesia is a serious perioperative complication associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Pregnant patients are at increased risk of aspiration due to physiological changes such as delayed gastric emptying and increased intra-abdominal pressure. In addition, diabetes may impair gastric motility because of autonomic neuropathy, potentially leading to gastroparesis and increased gastric residual volume.

Current fasting guidelines allow the intake of clear fluids up to two hours before anesthesia. However, the effect of preoperative oral clear fluid intake on gastric volume in diabetic pregnant patients remains unclear.

This prospective observational study aims to compare gastric volume measured by gastric ultrasonography in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean delivery. All participants will receive 200 ml of water two hours before surgery. Gastric ultrasonography will be performed before fluid intake and two hours after intake to evaluate gastric volume and gastric content.

The results of this study may help improve the assessment of aspiration risk and guide perioperative fasting recommendations in pregnant patients, particularly those with diabetes.