Progressive Feeding without MEF for Premature Birth

Premature birth can be accompanied by serious long-term effects such as learning disabilities and behavioral problems later in life. Premature birth imposes a high financial burden on families and society.

Babies of mothers who become pregnant at an early baby can be at risk for premature birth. This risk also increases substantially with advancing age, and for a variety of women is highest among those who are first pregnancies.

Every year, an estimated 19,400 babies are born prematurely, making more than one out of five births in the United States very premature. And if the baby survives this premature birth and goes on to have a child, one of the babies will likely be premature too, indicating that the problem of premature birth is not a benign one.

Premature birth cannot be cured and does not necessarily cause problems later in life. If the baby is otherwise healthy then this is a harmless condition.

The premature birth syndrome is still very poorly understood both in its mechanisms and its clinical presentation, with different rates of prematurity in different societies due possibly to genetic and environmental factors.

There are no common treatments associated with increased or decreased mortality rates in cases of preterm birth. Premature birth is the second leading cause of infant mortality globally. In the absence of reliable data regarding the relative safety and efficacy of potential treatments, the need for newborn screening and intervention to prevent such deaths by prematurity should be advocated. There was also no evidence-based indication for routine medical treatment in the antenatal period.

Premature infants are at increased risks for a variety of complications. It is essential that obstetricians and pediatricians be knowledgeable about these risks and how to assess them through detailed clinical exams. Once a clinical suspicion of prematurity arises, prompt delivery through appropriate techniques such as Cesarean or forceps is indicated. Infants that may need additional monitoring include those with serious intrauterine growth restriction, premature rupture of capillaries, or other congenital defects in which intrauterine growth restriction is a major concern.

For patients with PN, the progressive method, whereby mef gradually decreases because of improved appetite, and is then discontinued, is safe and effective. This protocol is simple and does not increase the risk to patients.

In this retrospective study, we found no new side effect to progressive feeding without mef. We are uncertain which side effects are associated with mef. It would require a well-designed prospective study to answer this question. For patients who were already getting mef, as with any mef complication, patients should consult their physicians for confirmation.

Progressive feeding with Mef results in improved short- and long-term outcomes and lower cost compared with those prescribed a standardized feeding plan. The impact of feedings on short- and long-term outcome is similar to that of the standardized feeding plan.

The evidence supporting preventive services for premature birth is inconsistent, but more evidence is available for treating premature newborns with phototherapy, and for screening newborns with cord blood tests to detect early-onset neonatal complications. Improving delivery in a resource-limited setting has the potential to improve outcomes for preterm infants. However, many low- and middle-income countries do not have the capacity to implement, evaluate, and disseminate evidence-based interventions that are cost-effective and are likely to be effective. Future research should focus on developing the tools to monitor the implementation and delivery of interventions and on new or improved interventions for premature newborns and their immediate families.