Very preterm infants who receive transitional formulas as a complement to human milk can achieve catch-up growth.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the growth of premature infants fed a postdischarge diet of human milk (HM) complemented with transitional formula (TF) as compared with those fed TF only.

STUDY

DESIGN

In this prospective cohort study, 51 infants' diets and anthropometrics were collected at discharge and at 12-15 months corrected gestational age.

RESULTS

Post discharge, infants in both groups exhibited similar growth velocities and changes in z-scores. The duration of infants' HM consumption was not correlated with weight gain (r = -0.25, p = 0.26). The duration of complementary TF feeds also did not correlate with increased growth (r = -0.11, p = 0.44). Both groups achieved catch-up growth and displayed growth velocities that significantly exceeded the upper limit of the World Health Organization (WHO) weight growth standard (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Preterm infants receiving HM and complementary TF post discharge had growth velocities at or exceeding weight gain projected by the WHO growth standard for term infants.