Gum chewing outperforms coffee for bowel recovery post-cesarean

A systematic review included 20 studies with 2,876 patients, comparing coffee and gum chewing effects on bowel recovery after cesarean sections. Both interventions significantly reduced the time to first defecation and flatus versus control. Although gum chewing proved superior for overall recovery, reducing complications, improving patient satisfaction, and shortening hospital stays, coffee enhanced food tolerance earlier. However, no major differences were observed between the two methods for primary bowel function outcomes.