Growth and Clinical Outcomes Before and After Implementation of a Donor Human Milk Program in Very Preterm and/or Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Neonatology, Dana Dwek Children’s Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky University Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
- 2Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky University Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
- 4Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Tel Aviv Sourasky University Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Mother’s own milk (MOM) is widely recognized as the best source of nutrition for premature infants, with donor human milk (DHM) as the next recommended option. However, it remains controversial whether DHM confers the same benefits as MOM. We aimed to compare growth and clinical outcomes in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants before and after the introduction of DHM in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort of VLBW and/or very-low-birth-weight infants born between January 2018 and June 2023. Infants were divided based on birth date into Epoch-1 (pre-DHM, N = 98) and Epoch-2 (post-DHM, N = 138). Feeding groups included exclusive MOM (N = 112), MOM + DHM (N = 71), and MOM + Formula (N = 39). Baseline characteristics were compared between groups. The primary outcome was weight gain; secondary outcomes included incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), time to full enteral feeding, and length of hospitalization. Multivariable regression models were used to assess these outcomes while adjusting for relevant confounders. Results: Infants in Epoch-2 were born at a significantly higher gestational age (29.3 vs. 28.2 weeks, p < 0.001) and had a higher median birth weight (1350 g vs. 1080 g, p < 0.001) compared to Epoch-1. In this before-and-after cohort, the post-DHM implementation epoch was not independently associated with differences in growth or complication rates after adjustment. Time to reach full enteral feeding was significantly shorter in the post-DHM epoch (B = −0.255, p < 0.001). Conclusions: DHM had no independent effect on growth or complication rates but was associated with earlier achievement of full enteral feeding. Further studies are needed to evaluate its contribution to neonatal clinical outcomes.
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BibTeX
@article{herzlich2026growth,
title = {{Growth and Clinical Outcomes Before and After Implementation of a Donor Human Milk Program in Very Preterm and/or Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants}},
author = {Jacky Herzlich and Omer Less and Itamar Gilboa and Yaffa Elbaum-Shiff and Ariel Halperin},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nu18203338},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3338},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Growth and Clinical Outcomes Before and After Implementation of a Donor Human Milk Program in Very Preterm and/or Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants
AU - Jacky Herzlich
AU - Omer Less
AU - Itamar Gilboa
AU - Yaffa Elbaum-Shiff
AU - Ariel Halperin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18203338
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/20/3338
AB - Background/Objectives: Mother’s own milk (MOM) is widely recognized as the best source of nutrition for premature infants, with donor human milk (DHM) as the next recommended option. However, it remains controversial whether DHM confers the same benefits as MOM. We aimed to compare growth and clinical outcomes in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants before and after the introduction of DHM in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort of VLBW and/or very-low-birth-weight infants born between January 2018 and June 2023. Infants were divided based on birth date into Epoch-1 (pre-DHM, N = 98) and Epoch-2 (post-DHM, N = 138). Feeding groups included exclusive MOM (N = 112), MOM + DHM (N = 71), and MOM + Formula (N = 39). Baseline characteristics were compared between groups. The primary outcome was weight gain; secondary outcomes included incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), time to full enteral feeding, and length of hospitalization. Multivariable regression models were used to assess these outcomes while adjusting for relevant confounders. Results: Infants in Epoch-2 were born at a significantly higher gestational age (29.3 vs. 28.2 weeks, p < 0.001) and had a higher median birth weight (1350 g vs. 1080 g, p < 0.001) compared to Epoch-1. In this before-and-after cohort, the post-DHM implementation epoch was not independently associated with differences in growth or complication rates after adjustment. Time to reach full enteral feeding was significantly shorter in the post-DHM epoch (B = −0.255, p < 0.001). Conclusions: DHM had no independent effect on growth or complication rates but was associated with earlier achievement of full enteral feeding. Further studies are needed to evaluate its contribution to neonatal clinical outcomes.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -