Effect of fortification of breast milk on the growth of preterm neonates

Human milk fortifiers (HMF) make up for the nutrient deficit required by preterm, low birth weight neonates. With the availability of a new HMF in India, it was pertinent to test this nutritional advantage in the Indian preterms fed with fortified human milk in terms the bioavailability of the important nutrients. METHODS: Sixty preterm neonates were randomly assigned in two groups of comparable gestational age and weight, the first fed with breast milk fortified with Lactodex fortifier and the second fed with EBM only. The changes in the mean levels of serum total protein and electrolytes (calcium, sodium, potassium (Na+, K+) and phosphorus), and blood urea in the two groups after two weeks were compared using the student’s t - test. RESULTS: After two weeks of fortification the mean total serum protein (study group 5.65±0.27 gm/L compared to 5.39±0.25 gm/L in the control group, p<0.001), serum calcium (study group at 9.24±0.32 mg/dl compared to 8.87±0.25 mg/dl in the control group p<0.001), phosphate (5.54±0.18 mg/dl in the study group versus 5.31±0.24 mg/dl in the control group, p<0.001) and Na+, K+ levels were significantly higher than the control group. The fortification was well tolerated. We concluded that using the new fortifier not only provides all the advantages of breast milk but also provides higher amounts of proteins and calcium necessary for sustaining growth and achieving intra-uterine accretion rates in the preterm neonates and is well tolerated.