The Evidence for Use of Human Milk in Very Low-birthweight Preterm Infants

Abstract

Many small and recently larger studies demonstrate the protective effects of human milk feedings for very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants, resulting in decreased morbidities. These benefits are due to the many unique properties of human milk that function synergistically to protect the infant from infectious, inflammatory, and oxidant injury. However, few VLBW infants in the United States receive maternal milk due to significant economic and social barriers. Additionally, the current research has not identified accurately the amount and timing of human milk feedings that provide maximal protection, which would enable optimal use of this scarce resource. Although the benefits of human milk feedings in VLBW infants have been demonstrated clearly, issues that remain unclear include dosing considerations and the economic implications of providing human milk feedings.