Chapter 9 - Comparison between preterm and term infants

Summary

Early nutrition affects both the short-term and longer-term health and development of preterm infants. This chapter discusses the important differences in nutrient requirements in preterm infants compared with those in infants born at term. It provides the practicalities of meeting these requirements during the early postpartum period and following discharge. Despite greater appreciation of the importance of adequate nutrition for outcome in preterm infants and the existence of specific nutritional recommendations, it is widely recognized that these infants often exhibit suboptimal growth, which may persist for some time after hospital discharge and which may have adverse consequences for cognitive outcome. The use of breast milk is associated with a reduction in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and systemic infection and is associated with improved cognitive outcome, lower blood pressure, and more favorable plasma lipid profile during childhood and adolescence.