Impact of introducing a standardized nutrition protocol on very premature infants' growth and morbidity

Apolline Wittwer1, Jean-Michel Hascoët1

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU NANCY, DevAH University of Lorraine, France.

Plos One
|May 22, 2020
PubMed

Insights

An updated nutrition protocol improved weight gain in very premature infants, particularly males. However, low compliance necessitates further education to prevent postnatal growth restriction.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Inadequate nutrition in premature infants can lead to postnatal growth restriction (PGR) and long-term health issues.
  • Optimizing nutritional intake is crucial for improving outcomes in very preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of a new nutrition protocol on the growth and morbidity of very premature infants.
  • To evaluate adherence to the updated nutritional care guidelines.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective longitudinal comparative analysis of 158 infants born between 26-32 weeks gestation.
  • Infants were studied in two 6-month periods: before and after implementing an optimized nutrition protocol.

Main Results:

  • Group 2 (post-protocol) showed improved weight gain z-scores compared to Group 1 (pre-protocol), especially in males.
  • No significant differences in morbidity were observed between the groups.
  • Compliance to the protocol was low in both groups, with variations in lipid and protein intake.

Conclusions:

  • A structured nutrition protocol can enhance weight gain in very preterm infants.
  • Low compliance highlights the need for educational interventions to ensure effective implementation and prevent PGR.
Abstract

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