Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation
09:02

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation

Published on: February 15, 2018

19.5K

Effects of human milk odor stimulation on feeding in premature infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yangyang Qin1, Shu Liu2, Yanming Yang1

  • 1Nursing Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, 450099, He Nan, China.

Scientific Reports
|April 18, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Human milk odor stimulation significantly reduces the time premature infants need to transition to oral feeding and shortens parenteral nutrition duration. However, it does not appear to affect hospital stay length.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Nutrition and Feeding
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Premature infants often face challenges with oral feeding initiation and require prolonged nutritional support.
  • Odor stimulation, particularly with human milk, has been hypothesized to positively influence feeding behaviors in neonates.
  • A systematic review and meta-analysis is needed to consolidate existing evidence on this intervention.

Approach:

  • Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
  • Searched multiple major biomedical databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese databases) up to July 2022.
  • Evaluated the quality of six included RCTs (763 participants) using the Cochrane Handbook, with all studies rated as Grade B.

Key Points:

  • Human milk odor stimulation significantly reduced the transition time to oral feeding in premature infants (SMD = -0.48, P < 0.00001).
  • The intervention also shortened the duration of parenteral nutrition (MD = -1.01, P = 0.004).
  • No significant effect was observed on the length of hospitalization for premature infants (MD = -0.03, P = 0.86).

Conclusions:

  • Human milk odor stimulation is an effective intervention for accelerating oral feeding transition and reducing parenteral nutrition dependence in premature infants.
  • Further high-quality, large-sample research is required to ascertain its impact on hospital stay duration and other developmental outcomes.
  • This finding supports the integration of sensory-based interventions in neonatal care protocols for premature infants.

Keywords:
Evidence-based nursingFeedingHuman milk odor stimulationMeta-analysisPremature infants

More Related Videos

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers09:36

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers

Published on: July 28, 2022

2.2K
Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings04:16

Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings

Published on: February 7, 2025

434

Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...