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Infants admitted to Danish neonatal units demonstrate satisfactory growth independent of feeding type at discharge
Karina Dyrvig Honoré1,2, Jonas Sveen Jespersen2, Gitte Zachariassen1,2,3
1Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Science, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Insights
Exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) was associated with better weight gain in Danish neonatal infants, though overall growth was satisfactory across feeding types. Rates of EBF require improvement for optimal infant nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Infant nutrition
- Pediatric growth monitoring
Background:
- Feeding type at discharge from neonatal units impacts infant growth.
- Understanding factors influencing feeding choices is crucial for optimizing infant outcomes.
- Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) is a key indicator of infant growth and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate feeding types (exclusively breastfeeding, mixed breastfeeding, formula milk feeding) at discharge in Danish neonatal units.
- To identify maternal and infant factors associated with feeding type.
- To analyze changes in weight-for-age z-score (ΔWAZ) based on feeding type.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 8639 mother-infant dyads admitted to Danish neonatal units (February 2019 - December 2021).
- Logistic regression used to determine factors associated with feeding type.
- Descriptive statistics employed to assess ΔWAZ and feeding patterns at discharge.
Main Results:
- 59.1% of infants were exclusively breastfed (EBF), 16.9% mixed breastfed (MBF), and 24.0% formula milk fed (FMF) at discharge.
- Factors like prematurity, C-section, multiple births, and longer hospital stays were linked to lower EBF rates.
- Exclusively breastfed infants showed significantly higher ΔWAZ compared to formula-fed infants (p=0.01).
Conclusions:
- Danish neonatal infants exhibit satisfactory growth regardless of discharge feeding type.
- Exclusively breastfeeding rates among discharged infants are suboptimal and warrant improvement.
- While overall growth is adequate, EBF is associated with superior weight gain trajectory.
Aim:
The aim was to investigate feeding type at discharge; exclusively breastfeeding (EBF), mixed breastfeeding (MBF), and formula milk feeding (FMF), factors associated with feeding type, and changes in weight-for-age z-score (ΔWAZ) in infants admitted to Danish neonatal units.
Methods:
Using data from the Danish National Quality Database for Births and the Danish Newborn Quality Database, we included 8639 mother-infant dyads admitted ≥5 days between February 2019 and December 2021. We used logistic regression to investigate associations between maternal and infant factors and feeding type, and descriptive statistics to describe ΔWAZ and feeding type at discharge.
Results:
Of all infants 59.1% were EBF, 16.9% MBF and 24.0% FMF at discharge. Gestational age <37 weeks, caesarean section, multiple births, small for gestational age, weeks at hospital, ≥6 h before skin-to-skin contact, and few weeks at hospital were associated with failure to EBF at discharge. Median (min-max) ΔWAZ in EBF, MBF and FMF infants was -0.44 (-4.78 to 4.88), -0.43 (-3.47 to 4.42) and -0.39 (-3.54 to 4.03), respectively. ΔWAZ was higher in EBF compared to FMF infants, p-value 0.01, but no significant difference in ΔWAZ between MBF and FMF infants, p-value 0.06.
Conclusion:
Danish newborn infants demonstrated satisfactory growth during admission to the neonatal unit, independent of feeding type at discharge. Rates of exclusively breastfeeding need improvement.
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