Improved feeding tolerance and growth are linked to increased gut microbial community diversity in very-low-birth-weight infants fed mother's own milk compared with donor breast milk.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mother's own milk (MOM) is protective against gut microbiota alterations associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and feeding intolerance among preterm infants. It is unclear whether this benefit is preserved with donor milk (DM) feeding.

Objective

We aimed to compare microbiota development, growth, and feeding tolerance in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants fed an exclusively human milk diet of primarily MOM or DM.

Methods

One hundred and twenty-five VLBW infants born at Texas Children's Hospital were enrolled and grouped into cohorts based on percentage of MOM and DM in enteral feeds. Feeds were fortified with DM-derived fortifier per unit protocol. Weekly stool samples were collected for 6 wk for microbiota analysis [16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) seq

SUBMITTER: Ford SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6462428 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature