WIP 52 - Body Composition in Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants Fed Mother's Own Milk vs. Donor's Breast Milk and Formula

Publication Number: WIP 52.7443

Stephanie Morales, Tampa General Hospital Children's Medical Center, temple terrace, FL, United States; Steven Ford, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States; Vanessa Riley, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, United States; Ambuj Kumar, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States

Background: Feeding mother’s own milk (MOM) to preterm infants is associated with increased fat-free mass accretion compared to infants feeding formula, which is associated with enhanced metabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Donor breast milk (DBM) is often utilized when the supply of MOM is insufficient. DBM offers protective benefits against necrotizing enterocolitis compared to formula, but its pasteurization reduces many of the potential advantages of feeding MOM. Limited data exists regarding body composition among donor milk-fed preterm infants.

Objective: This study seeks to assess the body mass composition among preterm infants primarily nourished with MOM compared with those receiving mostly DBM.

Design/Methods: This IRB-approved single-center prospective cohort study compares body composition at near term among preterm infants fed primarily MOM compared to those fed primarily DBM. Eligible infants include those born at less than or equal to 32 weeks' gestation or birthweight less than or equal to 2000 grams. Infants will be grouped based on the predominant type of feeding, MOM or DBM/formula, with a cut-off of >50% MOM received from birth to date of measurement. Body composition will be measured via air displacement plethysmography (ADP) via the PeaPod® system at 36 weeks corrected gestational age or discharge. To date, there are 88 infants that have been measured. Enrollment is ongoing with plans to complete measurements and data analysis by March 2025.