Should extremely preterm infants be given probiotics?

Study: Impact of probiotics on gut microbiome of extremely preterm or extremely low birthweight infants . Image Credit: Volodimir Zozulinskyi / Shutterstock Meta-analysis shows that probiotics reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants. In a recent study published in the journal Pediatric Research , researchers from the United Kingdom investigated whether the administration of probiotics affects the gut microbiomes of preterm infants differently, depending on birth weight or gestational age.

They found that the gut microbiome in extremely preterm (EP) or extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants is similarly impacted as in very preterm (VP) or very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, suggesting that probiotic administration might also potentially reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Background Probiotics have been widely studied in preterm infants, with numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies showing up to a 50% reduction in NEC. However, variations in clinical outcomes due to methodological issues and feeding regimes, along with practical concerns about production and use, have led to varying guidelines from organizations like the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), World Health Organization (WHO), the Canadian Pediatric Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

These issues have become particularly controversial due to recent .