Feeding of Low Birth Weight Neonates

Abstract

Nutrition in this critical period is essential for immediate outcomes such as changes in anthropometry (weight, length, and head circumference) as well as adverse effects like necrotizing enterocolitis. Nutrition also affects long-term adverse outcomes such as developmental delay, diplegic cerebral palsy, and death during infancy and childhood. This review has looked for the effects of nutrition in these areas. Further long-term outcomes like risk of adult onset diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke may also be related to the nutrition of the LBW neonate but have not been included in this review. The guideline has been developed using standard methods adapted by National Neonatology Forum in accordance with the process described in the World Health Organization handbook for guideline development. The detailed methods are described elsewhere in this compilation of guidelines. Table 1 summarizes the recommendations for practice questions prioritized by the guideline development group in consultation with a wider group of National Neonatology Forum members. The recommendations made by this group are summarized in Table 1 .