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Published on: December 16, 2015
Economic evaluations of human milk for very preterm infants: a systematic review
Anfeng Lu1, Peilu Huang1, Xin Guo2
1Department of Neonatology, Qinzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Qinzhou, Guangxi, China.
Insights
Human milk is cost-effective for very preterm infants, offering economic benefits during neonatal intensive care. More standardized studies are needed to confirm long-term cost-effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Health economics
- Infant nutrition
Background:
- Very preterm infants face significant health risks and healthcare costs.
- Human milk provides protective benefits for these vulnerable infants.
- The economic impact of human milk for very preterm infants lacks systematic review.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review economic evaluations of human milk for very preterm infants.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-saving potential of human milk interventions.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across major databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science).
- Independent data extraction and quality assessment using the Pediatric Quality Appraisal Questionnaire (PQAQ).
- Inclusion of 14 moderate-quality studies from the US, Germany, and Canada.
Main Results:
- Eleven studies evaluated costs from a healthcare system perspective.
- Cost-consequence analysis was the predominant method (6 studies).
- All human milk interventions demonstrated cost-effective or cost-saving outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Economic evaluation of human milk for very preterm infants is an emerging research area.
- Human milk provides significant economic advantages during neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization.
- Standardized, high-quality research is essential for future cost-effectiveness determination.
Background:
Very preterm infants are highly vulnerable to complications, imposing a significant economic burden on healthcare systems. Human milk has protective effects on these infants, but there is no systematic review on its economic impact.
Objective:
We conducted a comprehensive review of studies assessing the economic evaluations of human milk for very preterm infants.
Methods:
Our literature search covered PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently extracted data on economic evaluations and assessed study quality using the Pediatric Quality Appraisal Questionnaire (PQAQ).
Results:
Fourteen studies of moderate quality, conducted in the United States, Germany, and Canada, met the inclusion criteria. However, the studies analyzed had notable variations and shortcomings. The majority of these studies (n = 11) performed economic evaluations from a healthcare system perspective, utilizing cost-consequence analysis (n = 6) up to the point of neonatal discharge (n = 11). All human milk interventions indicated cost-effective or cost saving results; only a minority included discounting (n = 2).
Conclusion:
This systematic review suggests that economic evaluation of human milk for very preterm infants is an expanding area of research. Human milk for very preterm infants offers substantial economic advantages during neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization. Standardized and high-quality studies are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of human milk for very preterm infants in the future.
Systematic Review Registration:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier (CRD42024539574).
