Nutrition of very low birth-weight infants

Excerpt

Numerous studies have underlined the importance of early feeding on short- and long-term development of very low birth-weight (VLBW) neonates [1, 2]. Nutrition of preterm infants may be divided in two subsequent periods: the early adaptive or “transition” period from birth to the second week of life followed by the “stable-growing” period up to discharge from the neonatal unit. Depending on birth weight and gestational age the transition period may be prolonged. Immediately after birth most VLBW infants are unable to start enteral feeding. Parenteral nutrition is presently proposed since the first days of life to limit malnutrition. The ideal of nutrients intake for VLBW neonates is still a matter of debate [1, 2]. …