PRETERM INFANT OUTCOMES
Feeding preterm infants human milk
has several significant short- and longterm
beneficial effects. Lower rates of
sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis
(NEC) indicate that human milk contributes
to the development of the
preterm infant’s immature host defense.
The incidence of NEC is signifi-
cantly reduced (anywhere from 58%
to 83%) with the feeding of human
milk, even when fortified with cow milk–
based human milk fortifiers. However,
preterm infants fed an exclusive human
milk diet compared with those
fed human milk supplemented with
cow milk–based infant formula products
had a 77% reduction in NEC and
NEC surgery. Clinical feeding tolerance
in preterm infants also is improved,
and the attainment of full enteral feeding
is hastened by a diet of human milk.