Morphine analgesia and gastrointestinal morbidity in preterm infants: secondary results from the NEOPAIN trial

Abstract

Morphine delays the attainment of full enteral feeds, partly by delaying the start of feeding, but does not discernibly increase gastrointestinal complications. The attainment of full feeds is influenced by morphine dose, but other factors seem to be important, including birth weight and neonatal morbidity.