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Feeding of very low birth weight infants born to HCMV‐seropositive mothers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Author(s) -
Buxmann Horst,
Falk Maike,
Goelz Rangmar,
Hamprecht Klaus,
Poets Christian F,
Schloesser Rolf L
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2010.01954.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breast milk , pediatrics , gestational age , birth weight , low birth weight , breastfeeding , human cytomegalovirus , enteral administration , breast feeding , german , weaning , obstetrics , pregnancy , parenteral nutrition , immunology , virus , genetics , biochemistry , chemistry , biology , history , archaeology
Aim: To evaluate the enteral feeding practice of preterm infants <32 weeks (W) gestational age (GA) or <1500 g birth weight (BW) from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)‐seropositive mothers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Methods: This prospective cross‐sectional study included all neonatal units (NU) admitting preterm infants <32W or <1500 g BW in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In June and July 2009, an anonymized questionnaire was sent via e‐mail, asking whether mothers of the above patients were screened for HCMV, and about the enteral feeding protocol for preterm infants <32W GA or <1500 g BW from HCMV‐seropositive mothers. Results: During the study period, 58.6% of the questionnaires (123/210) from Germany, 50% (13/26) from Austria and 50% (6/12) from Switzerland were returned, yielding a total of 6232 preterm infants for analysis. Formula was given to the mentioned preterm infants in 28.5% (35/123) of the German NUs but not in Austria or Switzerland. Untreated breast milk was given in 66.6% (4/6) of the Swiss, 14.6% (18/123) of the German and no Austrian NU. Long‐term pasteurized breast milk was given in 32.5% (40/123) of the German and 38.5% (5/13) of the Austrian NUs, but not in Switzerland. Short‐term pasteurized breast milk was given only in 5.7% (7/123) of German NUs. Freeze‐thawed breast milk was given in Germany (4.9%; 6/123), Austria (61.5%; 8/13) and Switzerland (16.7%; 1/6). Conclusion: Preterm infants <32W GA or <1500 g BW born to HCMV‐seropositive mothers are fed according to different regimes in German‐speaking countries. About 28.5% of the German VLBW‐infants receive formula, which is not recommended.