The number of human milk banks is increasing worldwide. Although the beneficial effects of feeding premature infants with their mother’s milk are well documented, less is known about the effects of feeding these infants with pasteurized donor milk. We propose a randomized trial comparing the effects of a 100% human milk-based diet (human milk supplemented with a human milk-derived fortifier) and a diet (partially) based on bovine milk. In theory, human milk has a beneficial effect on various aspects of human physiology, most of which become apparent after infancy. We therefore propose an extensive follow-up program that takes this aspect into consideration. Other issues concerning the practice of human milk banks need to be addressed as well as optimization of the feeding strategies for preterm infants.
References
[1]
Agostoni, C.; Buonocore, G.; Carnielli, V.P.; De Curtis, M.; Darmaun, D.; Decsi, T.; Domellof, M.; Embleton, N.D.; Fusch, C.; Genzel-Boroviczeny, O.; Goulet, O.; Kalhan, S.C.; Kolacek, S.; Koletzko, B.; Lapillonne, A.; Mihatsch, W.; Moreno, L.; Neu, J.; Poindexter, B.; Puntis, J.; Putet, G.; Rigo, J.; Riskin, A.; Salle, B.; Sauer, P.; Shamir, R.; Szajewska, H.; Thureen, P.; Turck, D.; van Goudoever, J.B.; Ziegler, E.E. Eco Nutrition. Enteral nutrient supply for preterm infants: commentary from the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition. J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr.？2010, 50, 85–91, doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181adaee0. 19881390
[2]
Tully, D.B.; Jones, F.; Tully, M.R. Donor milk: what's in it and what's not. J. Hum. Lact.？2001, 17, 152–155, doi:10.1177/089033440101700212. 11847831
[3]
Bjorksten, B.; Burman, L.G.; De Chateau, P.; Fredrikzon, B.; Gothefors, L.; Hernell, O. Collecting and banking human milk: to heat or not to heat? Br. Med. J.？1980, 281, 765–769. 7427442
[4]
Ehrenkranz, R.A.; Dusick, A.M.; Vohr, B.R.; Wright, L.L.; Wrage, L.A.; Poole, W.K. Growth in the neonatal intensive care unit influences neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes of extremely low birth weight infants. Pediatrics？2006, 117, 1253–1261, doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1368. 16585322
[5]
Quigley, M.A.; Henderson, G.; Anthony, M.Y.; McGuire, W. Formula milk versus donor breast milk for feeding preterm or low birth weight infants. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev.？2007, CD002971.
[6]
Hylander, M.A.; Strobino, D.M.; Dhanireddy, R. Human milk feedings and infection among very low birth weight infants. Pediatrics？1998, 102, E38, doi:10.1542/peds.102.3.e38. 9724686
[7]
Narayanan, I.; Prakash, K.; Murthy, N.S.; Gujral, V.V. Randomised controlled trial of effect of raw and holder pasteurised human milk and of formula supplements on incidence of neonatal infection. Lancet？1984, 2, 1111–1113. 6150180
[8]
de Silva, A.; Jones, P.W.; Spencer, S.A. Does human milk reduce infection rates in preterm infants? A systematic review. Arch. Dis. Child Fetal. Neonatal Ed.？2004, 89, F509–513, doi:10.1136/adc.2003.045682. 15499143
[9]
Lucas, A.; Morley, R.; Cole, T.J.; Gore, S.M. A randomised multicentre study of human milk versus formula and later development in preterm infants. Arch. Dis. Child Fetal. Neonatal Ed.？1994, 70, F141–146, doi:10.1136/fn.70.2.F141. 8154907
[10]
Singhal, A.; Cole, T.J.; Fewtrell, M.; Lucas, A. Breastmilk feeding and lipoprotein profile in adolescents born preterm: follow-up of a prospective randomised study. Lancet？2004, 363, 1571–1578, doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16198-9. 15145629
[11]
Singhal, A.; Cole, T.J.; Lucas, A. Early nutrition in preterm infants and later blood pressure: two cohorts after randomised trials. Lancet？2001, 357, 413–419, doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04004-6. 11273059
[12]
Flacking, R.; Wallin, L.; Ewald, U. Perinatal and socioeconomic determinants of breastfeeding duration in very preterm infants. Acta Paediatr.？2007, 96, 1126–1130, doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00386.x. 17578487
[13]
Victorino, C.C.; Gauthier, A.H. The social determinants of child health: variations across health outcomes - a population-based cross-sectional analysis. BMC Pediatr.？2009, 9, 53, doi:10.1186/1471-2431-9-53. 19686599
[14]
Orloff, S.L.; Wallingford, J.C.; McDougal, J.S. Inactivation of human immunodeficiency virus type I in human milk: effects of intrinsic factors in human milk and of pasteurization. J. Hum. Lact.？1993, 9, 13–17, doi:10.1177/089033449300900125. 8489717
[15]
Hamprecht, K.; Maschmann, J.; Muller, D.; Dietz, K.; Besenthal, I.; Goelz, R.; Middeldorp, J.M.; Speer, C.P.; Jahn, G. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) inactivation in breast milk: reassessment of pasteurization and freeze-thawing. Pediatr. Res.？2004, 56, 529–535, doi:10.1203/01.PDR.0000139483.35087.BE. 15295084
[16]
Terpstra, F.G.; Rechtman, D.J.; Lee, M.L.; Hoeij, K.V.; Berg, H.; Van Engelenberg, F.A.; Van't Wout, A.B. Antimicrobial and antiviral effect of high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization applied to human milk. Breastfeed Med.？2007, 2, 27–33, doi:10.1089/bfm.2006.0015. 17661617
[17]
Vetrugno, V. Safety of milk and milk derivatives in relation to BSE: the lactoferrin example. Biometals？2004, 17, 353–356, doi:10.1023/B:BIOM.0000027717.18351.1d. 15222490
[18]
Richardus, J.H.; Donkers, A.; Dumas, A.M.; Schaap, G.J.; Akkermans, J.P.; Huisman, J.; Valkenburg, H.A. Q fever in the Netherlands: a sero-epidemiological survey among human population groups from 1968 to 1983. Epidemiol. Infect.？1987, 98, 211–219, doi:10.1017/S0950268800061938. 3549343
[19]
Cerf, O.; Condron, R. Coxiella burnetii and milk pasteurization: an early application of the precautionary principle? Epidemiol. Infect.？2006, 134, 946–951, doi:10.1017/S0950268806005978. 16492321
[20]
Sullivan, S.; Schanler, R.J.; Kim, J.H.; Patel, A.L.; Trawoger, R.; Kiechl-Kohlendorfer, U.; Chan, G.M.; Blanco, C.L.; Abrams, S.; Cotten, C.M.; Laroia, N.; Ehrenkranz, R.A.; Dudell, G.; Cristofalo, E.A.; Meier, P.; Lee, M.L.; Rechtman, D.J.; Lucas, A. An Exclusively Human Milk-Based Diet Is Associated with a Lower Rate of Necrotizing Enterocolitis than a Diet of Human Milk and Bovine Milk-Based Products. J. Pediatr.？2010, 156, 562–567, doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.10.040. 20036378
