Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

Reviewed by SickKids Staff Last updated: November 20th 2018

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a rare but serious disease that affects the
bowels of premature or newborn infants. Learn more about the symptoms,
causes and treatment of the condition.

Key points
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a condition that affects the small or large intestines
of newborn infants. Most commonly, it affects those born prematurely or with low
birth weight.
Several factors can increase a newborn’s risk of developing NEC, including:
prematurity, formula feeding, difficult birth delivery, and an overgrowth of germs or
bacteria in the intestines.
Symptoms of NEC include poor feeding, a swollen belly and bloody stools.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. NEC may be treated with
antibiotics or in some cases, surgery to remove the affected bowel.
Most babies respond well to treatment and grow up without any bowel problems.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a condition that typically affects the small or large bowels
(intestines) of babies who are born prematurely or at a low birth weight (<1500g). NEC can also
affect full-term infants who have underlying health problems, such as heart defects or serious
infections. NEC may affect only one part of the bowel or it may affect several parts. In rare
cases, it can affect the entire bowel.

NEC causes inflammation and infection of the bowels. This disrupts the blood supply to the gut,
making the bowels become very weak. In severe cases, the bowel becomes so weak that a hole
forms (perforation). This hole allows bacteria and waste products, which are normally contained
in the bowels, to leak into the abdomen and cause a dangerous infection.

NEC can be a life-threatening disease; however, most babies respond well to treatment. The
bowel recovers and resumes normal function in most babies.

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 Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a condition that affects the small or large intestine (bowels) of premature or low
birth weight babies. A portion of the bowel can become inflamed and infected. This can cut off blood flow
causing the bowel to become weak and damaged.

Signs and symptoms of NEC

NEC usually occurs three to ten days following birth. Signs and symptoms of NEC include:

a red, swollen belly

problems tolerating feeds
bloody stools, including diarrhea containing blood
vomit, containing bile
irregular breathing
low blood pressure
a high, low or unstable temperature.

Diagnosing NEC can be difficult since its symptoms, such as not tolerating feeds, vomiting, and
altered bowel movements, are similar to signs of other less serious bowel conditions.

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 Causes and risk factors of NEC
While NEC can occur in any newborn baby, most cases are seen in premature babies. It is
estimated that NEC affects approximately 5% of infants weighing less than 1500 grams at birth.

It is not known exactly what causes NEC, but several different factors may contribute.

Prematurity
Babies born prematurely typically have underdeveloped immune systems and may not be able
to fight infection on their own. The lower the birth weight, the more at risk a premature baby is
of developing NEC.

Formula feeding
Babies who are given breast milk have a lower chance of developing NEC.

Difficult delivery
In some difficult deliveries, not enough blood, oxygen and nutrients get to the bowels. The lack
of oxygenated blood to the bowels can cause damage to the intestinal wall.

Bacteria growth
A premature baby’s immature immune system is not able to protect the bowels from an
overgrowth of bacteria and germs. This can cause swelling and infection. Taking antibiotic
medication for more than ten days may also impact bacterial growth in the bowel, increasing the
risk of developing NEC.

Diagnosis of NEC
An abdominal X-ray is used to confirm a diagnosis of NEC and to determine how severe it is.
Doctors will look for swelling of the bowels, gas in the bowel walls (pneumatosis intestinalis)
and free air in the belly (air outside of the bowels), which indicates that a hole has formed in the
weak bowel.

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 Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) abdominal X-ray

In necrotizing enterocolitis, there is typically swelling of the bowels, gas in the bowel walls and free air in the
abdomen (belly). This makes the baby’s belly appear swollen.

An ultrasound of the abdomen can also help confirm NEC by identifying parts of the bowel that
have become thinner or if there is a change in blood flow to certain parts of the bowel.

NEC can significantly affect the absorption of nutrients into the body and the removal of waste
products. In addition to imaging scans, a baby with suspected NEC will have blood tests to
check for:

evidence of infection (white blood cell count, blood culture, c-reactive protein)
the balance of nutrients and chemicals in their blood.

Treatment of NEC
When there is a concern that a baby may have NEC or when the diagnosis has been confirmed,
the baby is not given any food into their stomach. Liquids and nutrients (fat, sugar and salt) are
given intravenously. A tube is placed into the stomach, either through the nose — nasogastric

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 (NG) — or the mouth — orogastric (OG) — to remove any extra liquids or air. Babies may be
given IV (intravenous) antibiotics to treat the infection. The baby will be on antibiotics for seven
to 14 days. In most cases, this treatment is effective and surgery will not be required.

About one third of babies may need surgery to remove the diseased bowel. In most surgical
cases, the diseased bowel is removed and the healthy pieces are joined back together.

However, if there is disease in several areas of the bowel the surgeon may pull the end of the
healthy section through the abdomen, creating an opening in the skin called an ostomy. Stool or
poop will pass through the ostomy into a bag. This allows the affected areas of the bowel to
heal.

Surgery as treatment for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

One third of babies with NEC may require surgery for treatment. Two separate surgeries will be performed.
The first surgery is to remove the diseased part of the bowel (1a). A healthy end of the bowel will then be
attached to the abdomen, creating an opening in the skin called an ostomy (1b). After several weeks a
second surgery will attach the end of the bowel used for the ostomy to another healthy end of the bowel.

Once the bowel has healed, the baby will need a second surgery to close the stoma and
reconnect the healthy section to the healed part of the bowel. Your child will no longer have an

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 ostomy and will be able to pass stool normally through the anus.

While your baby’s bowel heals, fluids and nutrients will be given by IV into their bloodstream.
Once the bowel becomes healthy enough, approximately one to two weeks after treatment,
your baby may be fed milk through an NG tube into their stomach.

If possible, it is best to feed your baby breast milk once they can receive feedings again.

Outlook for babies with NEC

Most babies respond well to treatment and grow up without any intestinal or feeding problems.
In rare cases, NEC may occur again.

Although rare, it is also possible that the development of scar tissue will cause the bowel to
become narrow when it heals. This may block poop and gas from coming out and may require
surgery to correct it. This narrowing is more common in babies who have had surgery to remove
large sections of their bowel.

SickKids Neonatology Clinic: http://www.sickkids.ca/Neonatology/

American Pediatric Surgical Association: https://eapsa.org/parents/conditions/f-o/necrotizing-

enterocolitis-(nec)/

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: https://www.chla.org/necrotizing-enterocolitis

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/necrotizing-

enterocolitis

Gephart SM, McGrath JM, Effken JA, Halpern MD. Necrotizing Enterocolitis Risk: State of the
Science. Adv Neonatal Care 2012; 77–89.

Neu J. Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Karger Publishers, 2013: 122–7.

Alexander V, Northrup V, Bizzarro M. Antibiotic Exposure in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit
and the Risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. The Journal of Pediatrics 2011; 392-397.

Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Child. Hosp. Los Angeles. 2016. http://www.chla.org/necrotizing-

enterocolitis (accessed June 22, 2018).

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