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Human milk intake in preterm infants and neurodevelopment at 18 months corrected age

Talia Jacobi-Polishook1, Carmel T Collins2,3,4, Thomas R Sullivan5

  • 1Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Pediatric Research
|June 30, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Human milk intake in preterm infants showed no significant impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months corrected age. Further research is needed to understand the precise effects of human milk on infant development.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • The impact of human milk consumption on the neurodevelopment of preterm infants remains unclear.
  • Preterm infants are at higher risk for neurodevelopmental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between human milk intake and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.
  • To analyze the effects of both average daily intake and total duration of human milk consumption.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 611 preterm infants (≤33 weeks gestation) across five Australian centers.
  • Assessment of neurodevelopment using Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd Edition (Mental and Psychomotor Development Indexes).
  • Statistical adjustment for potential confounding factors using linear regression.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between average daily human milk intake and Mental Development Index (MDI) or Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) scores.
  • Longer duration of human milk intake was not linked to improved MDI or PDI scores, with a minor exception in infants born at 29-33 weeks gestation.
  • No correlation between human milk intake during hospitalization and neurodevelopment at 18 months corrected age.

Conclusions:

  • Human milk intake during the neonatal period was not associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months corrected age in the overall preterm infant cohort.
  • The findings suggest that the quantity and duration of human milk intake, as measured, may not be a primary determinant of neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population.
  • Further investigation into specific milk components or alternative feeding strategies may be warranted.
Abstract

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