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Human Milk for Preterm Infants and Fortification

Jatinder Bhatia1

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.

Nestle Nutrition Institute Workshop Series
|June 28, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Human milk is ideal for newborns, but premature infants require fortified milk to meet nutritional needs. This review examines human milk use, limitations, and strategies for preterm infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal nutrition
  • Human milk composition
  • Pediatric gastroenterology

Background:

  • Breastfeeding is recommended for all infants, including premature ones.
  • Established guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months for term infants.
  • Preterm infants often require fortified human milk to meet specific nutritional demands.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the use of human milk in premature infants.
  • To identify the limitations of human milk for preterm neonates.
  • To explore strategies for overcoming these limitations and discuss follow-up studies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on human milk for premature infants.
  • Analysis of factors affecting human milk composition (lactation stage, time of day, storage, pasteurization).
  • Examination of fortification strategies and their efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Human milk composition is variable and can be affected by numerous factors.
  • Standard human milk may not meet the high nutritional requirements of preterm infants.
  • Fortification and tailored feeding strategies are crucial for optimizing growth and development.

Conclusions:

  • While human milk is beneficial, its use in preterm infants necessitates careful consideration of composition and fortification.
  • Strategies to optimize human milk for premature infants are essential for their health outcomes.
  • Further research and follow-up studies are needed to refine feeding protocols.

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