Factors associated with feeding progression in extremely preterm infants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Among infants born prematurely, competence at oral feeding is necessary for growth and hospital discharge. Extremely preterm (EP) infants (28 weeks of gestational age [GA]) are at risk for a variety of medical complications, which can limit the infant's capacity to develop oral feeding competence.

Objective

This study examined feeding progression by assessing timing of acquisition of five early feeding milestones among EP infants and the impact of immaturity and medical complications.

Design

A chart review was conducted for 94 EP infants who participated in a larger longitudinal randomized study. Feeding progression was defined as infants' postmenstrual age (PMA) at five milestones: first enteral feeding, full enteral feeding, first oral feeding, half oral

SUBMITTER: Park J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4418036 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature