Association Between Early Breast Milk Feeding Proportion and Discharge Weight z-Score in Preterm Infants
Chang Mi Kwon1, Ji Eun Jeong2, Eun Ah Kim2
1Department of Pediatrics, Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Higher early breast milk feeding in preterm infants was linked to better discharge weight. However, this association weakened when considering neonatal complications like sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis, suggesting indirect effects.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition
- Pediatric growth studies
- Infant health outcomes
Background:
- Breast milk is the recommended nutrition for preterm infants.
- The quantitative link between early breast milk intake and infant growth is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the proportion of breast milk in early enteral nutrition and discharge weight z-score in preterm infants.
- To explore potential mediating factors in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 1174 preterm infants.
- Defined early breast milk feeding proportion as the percentage of breast milk within the first 14 days.
- Analyzed discharge weight z-score using linear regression and spline analysis.
Main Results:
- A higher proportion of early breast milk feeding was associated with a higher discharge weight z-score in initial analyses.
- A 10% increase in breast milk proportion correlated with a 0.18 increase in z-score (p < 0.001).
- This association became non-significant after adjusting for late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Conclusions:
- While initial findings suggest a positive link between early breast milk feeding and discharge weight, this is attenuated by neonatal complications.
- The study highlights the complexity of nutrition and growth in preterm infants, cautioning against causal inference due to potential confounding.
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