Clinical Evidence

NeoKare’s 100% human milk-derived solutions

NeoKare provides the only powdered 100% human milk-derived fortifier available in the UK. NeoKare MMF meets the ESPGHAN guidelines on protein and energy content and includes human milk oligosaccharides, antibodies, growth factors, and essential minerals which support the baby’s growth and development.

In the UK between 52,000 and 60,000 babies are born prematurely every year. Preterm birth is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates and optimal nutrition plays a critical role in their survival.

  • Of these, at least 34,000 infants are critically ill and/or have low or extremely low birth weights and need extended hospitalisation in early newborn specialised care units or neonatal intensive care units.
  • Mother’s own breast milk is the first choice for all neonates including premature infants, due to its nutritional composition and immunologic advantages. However, many mothers are not able to supply sufficient amounts of milk for their preterm infants during the neonatal period. In these cases, pasteurised donor human milk is considered by both the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition as the best alternative.
  • There is a significant shortage in the supply of some human milk product for clinical use, such as nutritional supplements for premature infants, despite the number of NHS based milk banks and not for profit milk sharing organisations in the UK.
  • Many fortifiers are produced from bovine milk, which has been shown to increase the probability of life-threatening NEC and sepsis, as well as later life diabetes and obesity*. As per WHO exclusive use of breast milk reduces the risk of childhood obesity.
  • Some clinical studies have shown that a purely human milk diet offers protection against, and can decrease the likelihood of, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
*Oddy W, H; Ann Nutr Metab 2017;70(suppl 2):26-36.

For premature babies with birth weights less than 1800g (3.9lbs) the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) recommends mothers’ own milk or where that is not available, fortified donated human milk.

“As per the WHO Recommendations of 2017 on Newborn Health, VLBW infants who fail to gain weight despite adequate breast-milk feeding should be given human-milk fortifiers, preferably those that are human milk based.”

NeoKare provides the only powdered human milk-derived fortifier available in the UK. Powdered Fortifier does not displace mothers own milk. NeoKare MMF meets the ESPGHAN guidelines on protein and energy content and includes human milk oligosaccharides, antibodies, growth factors, and essential minerals which support the baby’s growth and development.