Should all preterm babies get extra nutrients? new study tests routine fortification
NCT ID NCT04284280
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at 170 extremely preterm infants (born at or before 27 weeks) to see if adding a human milk fortifier to all feedings early on helps them grow better and reduces a dangerous gut condition called necrotizing enterocolitis. One group received the fortifier as soon as they reached full feeds, while the other group got it only if their weight gain was slow. The researchers tracked growth in the hospital and developmental outcomes at two years of age.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Donor Human Milk Fortifier
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that routine fortification of human milk improves growth and reduces serious gut complications in extremely preterm infants.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-center study with 170 infants, so results may not apply to all hospitals. The intervention is a dietary supplement, not a drug, so benefits may be modest.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Crouse Hospital
Syracuse, New York, 13210, United States
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