BENEFITS AND RISKS OF THE EARLY ENTERAL FEEDING IN PREMATURE INFANTS

Abstract

Early enteral feeding is introduced in the first 72 postnatal hours in premature infants with birth weight below 1,200 g, as a minimal, partial or exclusive feeding. The paper presents the actual nutritional needs for an optimal growth, the amount and feeding methods depending on age and functional deficiency in very low birth weight premature infants, the effects and limits of the infant’s own mother milk, fortified human milk and formulas for premature infant. The benefits of early enteral feeding include: trophic factors intake, stimulation of the gastrointestinal motility, enzyme and hormone secretion, growth increase and improvement of the subsequent motor, sensorial and cognitive development. The risks of early enteral feeding are the consequence of the functional immaturity of the organs, kind and volume of the administered milk: respiratory disturbances, inadequate bacterial colonization, gastro-oesophageal reflux, necrotising enterocolitis, nephrotoxic insults, obesity, diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.

Keywords

• enteral feeding
• very low birth weight premature infants
• nutritional needs
• milk
• growth