FYI, today's MedScape Nursing MedPulse contained an article of interest to
healthcare practitioners (especially nurses and/or LC's) working in neonatal
intensive care units. The article by Barbara Noerr (RNC, MSN, CRNP), "Current
Controversies in the Understanding of Necrotizing Enterocolitis" (Advances in
Neonatal Care, 3(3):107-120, 2003), provides an excellent overview of NEC and
highlights the importance of providing preterm infants with breastmilk as a
means of preventing the development of NEC.

The article's abstract notes "Strategies to decrease the incidence and
ultimately prevent NEC loom on the horizon, such as exclusive use of human
breastmilk for enteral feedings and administration of probiotics" and it gets
better! The article itself contains an entire section entitled "Protective
Role of Breastmilk" that details the current research re: prevention of NEC in
neonates through the use of breastmilk for enteral feedings. Additionally, the
clinical guidelines outlined by the author begin with "Encourage all mothers
to initially provide breastmilk for their preterm neonates, even if the mother
does not wish to continue breast-feeding" (although I certainly wish that the
guidelines accounted for the continued importance of breastmilk in maintaining
infant/child gut health) and also include "Keep abreast of evidence-based
correlates for detection or prevention of NEC" and "Establish unit-based
feeding protocols based on current evidence".

IMO, definitely worth a read if you work in an NICU setting or with moms who
have babies in special care. The article can be accessed through MedScape.com
(free registration is required) or by accessing the journal directly.

Dru Antoniuk
B.A., M.A., current B.Sc.N. student, aspiring midwife/LC, and mom to two
wonderful (and breastfed) little girls.

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