Is preterm donor milk better than preterm formula for very-low-birth-weight infants?

Background: Preterm human milk has advantages over preterm formula (PF), but it may compromise some functions after pasteurization. Objective: To explore the effects of preterm donor milk (DM) on growth, feeding tolerance, and severe morbidity in very-low-birth-weight infants. Method: This was a single-center, prospective cohort study that included 304 preterm infants weighing 0.05). Feeding intolerance in the DM group was significantly lower than that in PF group (P < 0.05), and parenteral nutrition time and hospitalization time were also shorter than that in the PF group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis was also significantly lower in the DM group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study indicated that preterm DM does not affect the growth of very-low-birth-weight infants. Further, it significantly reduces feeding intolerance, helps achieve full enteral feeding early, and has protective effects against necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis. Thus, compared with formula, preterm DM can lower the rate of infection in preterm infants and is worthy of promotion.