Abdominal surgery can cause development of dynamic intestinal obstruction, so called postoperative ileus. The incidence of postoperative ileus (POI) after gynecological surgery averages 10–15% (range 5–25%). Chewing gum (CG) has been used in abdominal surgery and obstetric and gynecological practice to reduce POI since the beginning of the 21st century. In obstetrical and gynecological practice, the largest number of randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses are devoted to the use of CG after caesarean section. The present review discussses the main randomized clinical trials, reviews and meta-analyses devoted to the study of the effect of CG after other surgical interventions in gynecological practice for the prevention of POI. The data presented in the review indicate the effectiveness and safety of the use of CG in the postoperative period for the prevention of POI in gynecological practice.

Keywords: defecation, flatus, chewing gum, postoperative ileus, postoperative gastrointestinal tract paresis, abdominal surgery, caesarean section, obstetrics, Gynecology