Nec Prevention: Prenatal Steroids, Breast Milk And Probiotics

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most commonly occurring gastrointestinal emergency in preterm infants. It is also one of the most serious and devastating conditions encountered in very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1500 grams) infants. A number of therapies have been evaluated beginning with prenatal exposure to maternal steroids. Postnatal interventions include delayed or slow feedings, enteral antibiotics, glutamine supplementation, IgG, and IgG in combination with IgA, breast milk feedings and probiotics. Of all these interventions, breast milk and probiotics offer the best options in the prevention of NEC. Currently, combination of pre- and probiotics, and cytokines, such as, recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) are being evaluated.