Feeding the Late and Moderately Preterm Infant

Abstract

Objectives-This report presents 2008 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics. Data are presented for maternal demographic characteristics including age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, attendant at birth, method of delivery, and infant characteristics (period of gestation, birthweight, and multiple births). Birth and fertility rates by age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, and marital status also are presented. Selected data by mother's state of residence are shown, as well as data on age of father. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted. Methods-Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of the 4.25 million births that occurred in 2008 are pre sented. Denominators for population-based rates are postcensal esti mates derived from the U.S. 2000 census. Results-A total of 4,247,694 births were registered in the United States in 2008, 2 percent less than in 2007. The general fertility rate declined 1 percent to 68.6 per 1,000. The teenage birth rate declined 2 percent to 41.5 per 1,000. Birth rates for women aged 20 to 39 years were down 1-3 percent, whereas the birth rate for women aged 40-44 rose to the highest level reported in more than 40 years. The total fertility rate declined 2 percent to 2,084.5 per 1,000 women. All mea sures of unmarried childbearing reached record levels-40.6 percent of births were to unmarried women in 2008. The cesarean delivery rate rose again to 32.3 percent. The preterm birth rate declined for the second consecutive year to 12.3 percent; the low birthweight rate was down very slightly. The twin birth rate increased 1 percent to 32.6 per 1,000; the triplet and higher-order multiple birth rate was stable.

Risk Factors of Growth Retardation and Developmental Deficits in Very Preterm Infants in a German Tertiary Neonatal Unit

“…Neither infants with BPD nor infants exclusively fed with formula milk showed differences with and without developmental care. Even though the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition recommends breast milk feeding in their position paper [ 33 ], there is no guideline for feeding preterm infants. Therefore, the choice of feeding mode was based on the SOP of the NICU in Rostock.…”

A shorter breastfeeding duration in late preterm infants than term infants during the first year

“…Thus, the lack of consistency in answering the questionnaires influenced the validity of the findings. A major limitation is the lack of data on LPT health characteristics including hyperbilirubinemia, which may impact on initiation of breastfeeding and maternal depression 7,14 . Considering the levels of worries and stress reported by LPT mothers, it is interesting that the results did not show differences in parenting stress measures.…”

“…Studies of mothers with LPT infants have showed that they are less likely to initiate, and sustain, breastfeeding compared with mothers of term infants 3‐5 and even the mothers of more preterm infants 6 . Thus, there is a need for better lactation support for LPT infant‐mother dyads 7 …”

Iron Homeostasis Disruption and Oxidative Stress in Preterm Newborns

“…The position paper by the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) recommend an elemental iron intake of 1-2 mg/kg/day for all premature infants with a birth weight less than 2500 g and of 2-3 mg/kg/day for those weighing less than 2000 g [92]. Similarly, the Committee on Nutrition of the AAP suggests a daily iron supplementation of 2 mg/kg for all breastfed preterm infants, from 1 to 12 months of age [93].…”