Enterocolitis News and Research

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Babies born eight-ten weeks early can be milk fed from the start, study finds

A major study has found that babies born between eight to ten weeks early can be fed with milk through a tube in their stomach straight after birth rather than being given intravenous feeds through a drip.

21 Oct 2025

Fresh donor milk linked to reduced gastrointestinal complicatoins in premature infants

A study from the Medical University of South Carolina, published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, reveals that shorter storage durations of donor human milk are linked to reduced gastrointestinal complicatoins in premature infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis.

24 Sep 2025

Holder vs Retort: How milk pasteurization shapes preterm infants’ gut health

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that pasteurization methods shape the gut microbiomes of preterm infants fed donor human milk. Holder pasteurization preserved microbial diversity and beneficial taxa better than Retort, producing microbiomes more similar to those from mothers’ own milk.

17 Sep 2025

High-dose vitamin D strengthens bones in very low birth weight infants

Research indicates that high-dose vitamin D improves bone health in very low birth weight preterm infants, highlighting its role in early development.

8 Aug 2025

Unlocking bacterial genomes to develop tailored probiotic therapies

Probiotics are emerging tools used by neonatal intensive care units to promote healthy outcomes and prevent intestinal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

16 Jul 2025

Does pomegranate seed oil really help your heart? New research weighs the evidence

This review explores the potential of punicic acid in pomegranate seed oil as a nutraceutical for cardiovascular health. While preclinical evidence is promising, robust human trials are needed to confirm its benefits.

10 Jul 2025

Antibiotic use predicts microbiota dysbiosis in preterm infants

Antibiotic use in preterm infants is linked to gut microbiome changes, increasing susceptibility to infections and impacting long-term health outcomes.

11 Jun 2025

Early signs of breastfeeding failures after premature birth

A study on breastfeeding after premature birth identifies key factors affecting milk composition and volume, emphasizing the need for early support for mothers.

10 Jun 2025

Feeding strategies in preterm infants do not alter brain growth or cognition

Early nutrition in very preterm infants does not significantly impact brain growth or neurodevelopment when following standardized clinical guidelines, despite initial unadjusted associations.

5 Mar 2025

CMV infection found to worsen necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants

Researchers say they found that infection with a common virus that can be transmitted from mother to fetus before birth significantly worsens an often-fatal complication of premature birth called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in experiments with mice.

24 Feb 2025

Do prenatal antibiotics weaken breast milk immunity? A new study aims to find out

A new study will investigate whether prenatal antibiotic use impairs breast milk immune function and disrupts neonatal gut microbiota, potentially affecting infant health. Researchers aim to assess how prolonged antibiotic exposure in late pregnancy alters breast milk IgA and neonatal immune development.

19 Feb 2025

Advances in the surgical management of gastroschisis

Gastroschisis, a congenital abdominal wall defect, has transformed from a uniformly fatal condition to one with a 95% survival rate through surgical advancements over the past six decades.

8 Nov 2024

Exploring the role of CPB2 gene in C. perfringens infections

C. perfringens is a widespread bacterium found in the intestines of animals and humans, known for causing severe enteric diseases.

14 Oct 2024

$1.9 million grant aims to improve infant safety against necrotizing enterocolitis

A University of Arizona College of Nursing-led research team will use a $1.9 million Department of Health and Human Services grant to lead a nationwide effort to keep babies safe from the deadly threat of necrotizing enterocolitis, known as NEC.

10 Oct 2024

Direct breastfeeding boosts microbial transfer to very-low-birth-weight infant guts

Researchers found that 30-40% of the very-low-birth-weight infant's gut microbiota came from the mother’s milk, and direct breastfeeding enhances microbial transmission despite antibiotic exposure.

18 Sep 2024

Should extremely preterm infants be given probiotics?

Researchers found that probiotics similarly impact the gut microbiome in extremely preterm infants as in very preterm infants, suggesting potential benefits for NEC prevention, but further research is needed.

26 Aug 2024

Increased skin-to-skin time linked to better neurodevelopment

Skin-to-skin cuddling with a parent has lasting cognitive benefits for premature babies, according to a new Stanford Medicine study. Preemies who received more skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, while hospitalized as newborns were less likely to be developmentally delayed at 1 year of age, the study found.

8 Aug 2024