Main results
Supplementation of human milk with multicomponent fortifiers is associated with short term increases in weight gain, linear and head growth. There is no effect on serum alkaline phosphatase levels; it is not clear if there is an effect on bone mineral content. Nitrogen retention and blood urea levels appear to be increased.
There are insufficient data to evaluate long term neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes, although there appears to be no effect on growth beyond one year of life.
Use of multicomponent fortifiers does not appear to be associated with adverse effects, although the total number of infants studied and the large amount of missing data reduces confidence in this conclusion. Blood urea levels are increased and blood pH levels minimally decreased, but the clinical significance of this is uncertain.
Authors' conclusions
Multicomponent fortification of human milk is associated with short-term improvements in weight gain, linear and head growth. Despite the absence of evidence of long-term benefit and insufficient evidence to be reassured that there are no deleterious effects, it is unlikely that further studies evaluating fortification of human milk versus no supplementation will be performed. Further research should be directed toward comparisons between different proprietary preparations and evaluating both short-term and long-term outcomes in search of the "optimal" composition of fortifiers.
EnglishTamil
Plain language summary
Multicomponent fortified breast milk for promoting growth in preterm infants
Babies born at full term (40 weeks) get all their nutritional needs from breast milk. Babies born early (preterm) have different needs and grow very rapidly. Those fed breast milk may need extra supplements. The review of trials found evidence that adding nutritional supplements to breast milk leads to short term improved growth and possibly also bone formation. The review found no evidence of long-term benefits or adverse effects.