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Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Infants Receiving Breast Milk in the NICU
Author(s) -
Barton Amy J.,
Danek Gale,
Owens Brenda
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal for specialists in pediatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1744-6155
pISSN - 1539-0136
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6155.2001.tb00113.x
Subject(s) - neonatal intensive care unit , medicine , lactation , breastfeeding , breast milk , pediatrics , breast feeding , medical record , retrospective cohort study , intensive care , intensive care medicine , pregnancy , biochemistry , chemistry , genetics , biology
ISSUES AND PURPOSE. This study compared clinical and economic outcomes for infants who were exclusively fed breast milk and infants who were fed commercial formula. DESIGN AND METHODS. A retrospective medical record review from a regional neonatal intensive care unit (N = 80) using consultation logs from the lactation coordinator and a matched sample of formula‐fed infants. RESULTS. Neither clinical (weight gain, length of stay, days of parenteral nutrition) nor economic outcomes (direct variable costs, net revenue) differed significantly between the groups. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. While it may not be possible to demonstrate sufficient cost savings while the infant resides within the NICU to justify a lactation coordinator, long‐term clinical and economic outcomes may be sensitive to this specialized nursing service.