Nutrition of Preterm Neonates

Nurturing the most vulnerable infants
by harnessing the potential of human milk.

While Human milk is the ideal nutrition for term infants, evidence suggests that preterm neonates require supplementation for optimal growth.

Daily Requirement per Kg Preterm milk at 28 days at 160ml/kg/day Donor milk at 160 ml/kg/day
Energy 120 kcal 107 kcal 107 kcal
Protein 4g (4.5 g) 2.6 2.0
Calcium 120 mg 50 mg 50 mg
Phosphorous 60 mg/td> 9 mg 9 mg

The latest version of ESPGHAN guidance on the nutrition of preterm infants (link to the accepted preprint format) gives detailed guidance on the nutritional needs of preterm neonates

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The macronutrient and calorie content of human milks shows considerable variability. The linked systematic review and meta-analysis provides and in-depth look at this topic. As a result, the use of individualized targeted fortification has been proposed. However, this practice is too labour intensive for practical use in most settings

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