The Influence of Donor Milk Supplementation on Duration of Parenteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND: Data are limited on the association between the use of donor human milk and improvements in feeding tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the duration of parenteral nutrition on the growth and morbidity of the breastfed newborn when using donated human milk in the absence of mother's own milk. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study before and after the intervention that compared two groups of newborns (N = 284; each group n = 142). We used a convenience sample of all newborns ≤32 weeks gestation consecutively admitted in a single unit before (Group 1 between December 2012 and May 2014) or after (Group 2 between October 2014 and December 2016) the availability of donor human milk. In Group 2, donor human milk was administered at least 3 to 4 weeks or until the baby weighed 1,500 g. Weight was recorded daily and length and head circumference weekly. Parenteral nutrition was continued until enteral feeding volume reached 120 ml/kg/day. Additional variables measured were the number of days with a central venous catheter, age that the enteral feeding volume reached 150 ml/kg/day, and duration of stay. RESULTS: The duration of parenteral feeding was the same before and after: 12 (8.23) and 11 (7.19) days (p = .822). The z scores for weight and height of newborns was lower in Group 2 = -1.8 (1.0) and -2.3 (1.1) and Group 1 = -1.2 (1.1) (p < .001) and -1.8 (1.4) (p = .005). CONCLUSION: We did not find an association between the administration of donor human milk as a supplement to mother's own milk and reduced number of days of parenteral nutrition. Back translation by Laurence Grummer-Strawn.

Mother's breast milk supplemented with donor milk reduces hospital and health service usage costs in low-birthweight infants.

OBJECTIVE: to compare hospital and health service usage costs of feeding low-birthweight (LBW) infants predominantly with their mother's milk, supplemented with donor milk, with donor milk and preterm formula. DESIGN: prospective matching study. SETTING: tertiary public perinatal centre, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and donor human milk bank. PARTICIPANTS: 100LBW infants (Group I) fed predominantly with their mother's milk from the first hour of life, supplemented (mainly for the first week of life) with donor milk, were matched on a 1:1 basis with 100LBW infants (Group II) who were fed with donor milk for the first 3 weeks of life followed by preterm formula until hospital discharge. Individualised targeted fortification of human milk was implemented in both study groups. FINDINGS: the costs of hospitalisation, doctor visits and prescription drugs for viral infections until 8 months of age were calculated for each infant. Infants fed predominantly with their mother's milk had significantly shorter hospital stays and lower hospitalisation costs. In Group I infants, the duration of enteral gavage feeding was shorter, resulting in significantly lower costs. Up to 8 months of age, Group I infants experienced fewer episodes of viral infections, and the cost of each doctor visit and drug prescription was lower for these infants. CONCLUSIONS: feeding LBW infants predominantly with their mother's milk reduces hospital and health service usage costs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: feeding LBW infants predominantly with their mother's milk, supplemented with donor milk, followed by exclusive breast feeding seems to result in potential savings in hospital and health service usage costs.