Medical Science Liaison Reckitt, Mead Johnson Nutrition, South Carolina, United States
Disclosure: Disclosure information not submitted.
Human milk is the standard of care for feeding all infants but is particularly beneficial for preterm infants. However, high nutrient demands and limited tolerance of enteral volume result in the need to add fortification to the human milk. Human milk fortifiers (HMF) are added to human milk using recipes that estimate the nutrient composition of human milk. Unlike infant formula, human milk nutrient composition varies based on maternal diet, gestational age at the time of delivery, lactation stage, and many other factors. The failure to accurately predict nutrient composition can result in feeding regimens that may not meet the individual infant's needs. This program will review the composition of human milk and the factors that impact nutrient variability. Using the information from this program, the learner can design a fortification strategy for the preterm infant that meets the infant's individual nutrient needs.
