The role of nutritional management

In 2020, 7.4% of live births in England and Wales occurred before 37 weeks.¹ While the survival rate of preterm infants continues to improve, they are more vulnerable than full-term infants to certain health complications, including respiratory and gastrointestinal issues, as well as neurological impairment.^2,3 Some of these problems may be due to post-natal growth restriction (also referred to as extrauterine growth restriction), a result of the challenges of feeding these vulnerable infants. The risk of health complications increases the earlier the child is born.⁴

As a significant amount of the brain’s development takes place during the last trimester of pregnancy, one of the most serious complications of preterm infant post-natal growth restriction is neurocognitive development impairment,^2,3 which can contribute to learning difficulties in later life. 
It has been shown that the higher the growth deficit, the greater the
risk of neurocognitive development issues.²

The primary aim of nutritional management of preterm infants is to
protect the infant’s brain by reducing growth failure.^2,3 These infants require higher amounts of protein and energy in order to achieve
catch-up growth.⁵