[Use of probiotics in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature newborns]

Necrotizing enterocolitis is the most frequent and life threatening pathology of the neonatal period and causes high morbi-mortality. According to the most recent metaanalyses, prophylactic treatment of premature newborns with probiotics significantly lowers the risk of suffering from severe necrotizing enterocolitis (stages II and III). This treatment also reduces the mortality, the hospitalization period and the days after which exclusive enteral nutrition is reached. Based in these facts, the Nutrition and Neonatal Metabolism Group of the Spanish Society of Neonatology considers that probiotics should be taken into consideration for use on less than 32 weeks- gestation premature newborns and/or those born with a weight lower than 1,500 g, although their use has to be submitted to close monitoring.