Objective To study the protective effect of cessation of enteral feeding on transfusionrelated necrotizing enterocolitis of newborn (TRNEC).Method Newborns who need blood transfusion in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from January 2015 to February 2016 were randomly assigned to the cessative feeding group (fasting for 6 h when blood transfusion) and the feeding group according to the method of random number table.The abdominal perimeter,the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6),and the incidence of NEC within 48 hours after transfusion in these newborns were analyzed and compared.Result A total of 106 newborns with blood transfusion were included in this study,54 in the cessative feeding group and 52 in the feeding group.There were no significant differences between the two groups in gender,gestational age,birth weight,underlying diseases and abdominal perimeter before transfusion (P ＜ 0.05).The incidence of TRNEC in the cessative feeding group was significantly lower (3.7％) than that in the feeding group (17.3％) (P ＜ 0.05).The abdominal perimeters at 6 h and 12 h a fter blood transfusion in the cessative feeding group were both significantly lower than that in the feeding group (P ＜ 0.05).Within 48 h after blood transfusion,the incidence of vomiting,abdominal distention and bloody stools in the cessative feeding group were all significantly lower than that in the feeding group (P ＜0.05).Furthermore,at 6 and 12 h after receiving blood transfusion,the cessative feeding group both showed lower levels of the serum TNF-α and IL-6 than the feeding group (P ＜ 0.05).However,the levels of the serum TNF-α and IL-6 at 6 h after blood transfusion and 12 h after blood transfusion in both groups were all showed no significant differences (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Cessation of enteral feeding for 6 h during blood transfusion is a positive protective measure that can reduce the incidence of TRNEC.