Post-discharge fortified human milk feeding in preterm infants with moderate-to-high nutritional risk: a retrospective cohort study

Yun-He WANG, Yi YAO, Yun-Qian CHI, Zi-Han ZHANG, Yi-Yang LIU, Feng-Xin YI, Peng-Yuan WANG, Wei HAO

Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ›› 2026, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (10) : 1218-1225.

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Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ›› 2026, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (10) : 1218-1225. DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2508012
CLINICAL RESEARCH

Post-discharge fortified human milk feeding in preterm infants with moderate-to-high nutritional risk: a retrospective cohort study

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Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of post-discharge fortified human milk feeding on growth, common complications, and neuropsychological development in preterm infants with moderate-to-high nutritional risk. Methods Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 320 preterm infants with moderate-to-high nutritional risk who were discharged from the Department of Neonatology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University between January 2021 and December 2023 and completed a 6-month follow-up. Infants were classified into four groups by nutritional risk level and feeding method: moderate-risk fortified human milk, moderate-risk formula, high-risk fortified human milk, and high-risk formula. Comparisons were conducted between fortified human milk and formula within the same risk level, and between moderate- and high-risk groups within the same feeding method. Results Within the same feeding method, gestational age at birth and birth weight differed significantly between moderate- and high-risk infants (P<0.001). Within the same nutritional risk level, no significant differences were found between fortified human milk and formula groups in gestational age at birth and birth weight (P>0.05). In the fortified human milk groups, corrected gestational age at discharge differed significantly between moderate- and high-risk infants (P<0.05). No significant differences were noted among the four groups in discharge weight, length, or head circumference (P>0.05). Analysis of covariance, adjusting for discharge weight, length, head circumference, and corrected gestational age at discharge, showed no significant differences among the four groups during the 6-month follow-up in growth velocities of weight, length, or head circumference, nor in hemoglobin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or alkaline phosphatase measured at 1, 3, and 5 months (P>0.05). Multivariable logistic regression indicated that fortified human milk feeding did not increase the risk of infection (OR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.40-1.08, P=0.097) or feeding intolerance (OR=0.70, 95%CI: 0.45-1.08, P=0.107). At 6 months' corrected age, mental, motor, and behavioral scores did not differ significantly among groups (P>0.05). Conclusions In preterm infants at moderate-to-high nutritional risk, post-discharge fortified human milk feeding does not increase the risk of infection or feeding intolerance, does not differ significantly from formula feeding in short-term catch-up growth or neuropsychological development, and appears clinically feasible and safe.

Key words

Fortified human milk / Nutritional risk stratification / Catch-up growth / Neuropsychological development / Preterm infant

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Yun-He WANG , Yi YAO , Yun-Qian CHI , et al . Post-discharge fortified human milk feeding in preterm infants with moderate-to-high nutritional risk: a retrospective cohort study[J]. Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics. 2026, 28(10): 1218-1225 https://doi.org/10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2508012

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Footnotes

本研究受济南市临床医学科技创新计划(202328068)和2023年山东省本科高校教学改革研究项目(M2023116)的资助,作者声明无利益冲突。

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