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Title: Growth is similar in premature infants fed human milk fortified with a human milk or bovine milk-based fortifier

Author
item HAWTHORNE, KELI - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item HICKS, PENNI - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item ROGERS, STEFANIE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item ABRAMS, STEVEN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Journal of American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2010
Publication Date: 10/18/2009
Citation: Hawthorne, K.M., Hicks, P.D., Rogers, S.P., Abrams, S.A. 2009. Growth is similar in premature infants fed human milk fortified with a human milk or bovine milk-based fortifier [abstract]. Journal of American Dietetic Association. 109:A30(Suppl. 9).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Preterm infants require fortification of human milk (HM) to provide adequate nutrients for growth. A human milk fortifier (HMF) made from donor human milk has recently been introduced. However, limited data are available comparing the growth outcomes of this product with current fortifiers. We evaluated growth in infants fed fortified HM. We hypothesized that weight, length, and head circumference (frontal occipital circumference, FOC) would be equivalent in infants fed donor human milk-based HMF (Don-HMF), compared with a bovine milk-based HMF (Bov-HMF). Human milk-fed preterm infants < 32 wks gestation were studied using Don-HMF or Bov-HMF for six weeks. Fifteen infants were evaluated in the Don-HMF group and 10 infants were evaluated in the Bov-HMF group. All measures of growth were similar between the two groups by ANOVA. Data are reported as Mean +/- SEM. Weight gain was 13.7 +/- 6.8 g/kg/day in the Don-HMF group and 14.5 +/- 8.8 g/kg/day in the Bov-HMF group (p=0.5). Length gain was 1.12 +/- 0.2 g/kg/day in the Don-HMF group and 0.99 +/- 0.2 g/kg/day in the Bov-HMF group (p=0.5). FOC gain was 0.99 +/- 0.06 g/kg/day in the Don-HMF group, and 1.01 +/- 0.05 g/kg/day in the Bov-HMF group (p=0.8). There were no significant differences in any measure of growth between the two groups. Weight gain over the 6-week study evaluation was slightly below goal weight gain in both groups. These data indicate that growth is similar among infants receiving HM fortified with either Don-HMF or Bov-HMF.