An exclusively human milk diet reduces necrotizing enterocolitis.

Area of Science:

• Neonatalogy
• Pediatric Nutrition
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious gastrointestinal condition affecting premature infants.
• Enteral feeding is crucial for premature infant development but carries NEC risks.
• Bovine milk-based products are common in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if an exclusively human milk (EHM) diet reduces NEC incidence in premature infants.
• To compare NEC rates between infants on EHM and those on bovine milk-based diets.

Main Methods:

• An observational study in a single NICU involving infants born before 33 weeks gestational age.
• Implementation of an EHM diet, excluding bovine milk products and fortifiers, through 33 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA).
• Comparison of clinical data from a 2.5-year EHM diet period with 6.5 years of data from infants on bovine milk products.

Main Results:

• 91% of infants in the EHM cohort received EHM through 33 weeks PMA.
• The EHM cohort experienced significantly fewer cases of NEC onset after Day 7 of life (1% vs. 3.4%).
• NEC onset timing (day and PMA) was significantly different between the EHM and control cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Transitioning to an EHM diet through 33 weeks PMA is associated with a reduced incidence of NEC.
• Eliminating bovine milk products in the EHM diet contributes to lower NEC rates.
• This feeding strategy offers a potential method to improve outcomes for premature infants.