Other content tagged: nutrition
The fasting month of Ramadan: Does intermittent fasting of pregnant women influence the risk for preterm birth?
Fasting during Ramadan is a valuable experience for Muslims all over the world. Even though it is not compulsory for pregnant women to participate in fasting, many choose to do so. However, the question arises as to whether abstaining from food and water throughout the day could have an impact on the well-being of the unborn child. To answer this question, fourteen studies from seven countries were reviewed, involving more than 2,800 expectant…
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55th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) in Vienna
From 17 to 20 May 2023, the ESPGHAN congress united healthcare professionals, patient and parent representatives as well as industry partners in the fields of paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition from across the world with the aim to reduce the burden of digestive and nutritional diseases and to improve digestive and nutritional health in paediatric age groups. EFCNI was honoured to attend the congress on-site and thrilled to meet old friends and new ones and to work towards the best…
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A pressing need for research to reduce nutritional uncertainties in preterm infant care: Findings from a European roundtable discussion with parent representatives
Clinical uncertainties regarding best practices on preterm nutrition will be addressed in a future randomised control trial. However, researchers first sought the views and experiences of parents of preterm babies and adults born preterm to consider them during the study design. The results of two roundtable discussions showed strong support for further research but also revealed variation in participants' knowledge about research trials and in information provided to parents during a baby's hospital stay. Researchers…
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Experiences on delivery and breastfeeding practices in Beijing, China during Covid-19
A Chinese study compared women’s experiences who delivered before and during the lockdown regarding feeding practices and childbearing. Interestingly, breastfeeding was seemingly positively influenced by the lockdown, the study from Beijing shows. The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on all aspects of life, including pregnant and delivering women and their families. Despite the severity of the virus, the WHO recommended breastfeeding during the pandemic, when taking suitable precautions, as human milk is the optimal…
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Effects of growth differences during twin pregnancy on later life
Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands found that children who have received less nutrients during pregnancy compared to their identical twin sibling have a higher risk of developmental problems later in life. This disbalance in nutrient supply can be a health-related disadvantage affecting their entire life. Ten to 15 percent of twin pregnancies are characterised by an uneven distribution of the placenta. This means that one child receives a larger…
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A cost-consequences analysis on increased utilisation of triple chamber bag parenteral nutrition
The safety of parenteral nutrition (PN) remains a concern in preterm neonates, impacting clinical outcomes and health-care-resource use and costs. This cost-consequence analysis assessed national-level impacts of a 10-percentage point increase in use of industry-prepared three-chamber bags (3CBs) on clinical outcomes, healthcare resources, and hospital budgets across seven European countries estimating the impact on compounding error harm and bloodstream infection (BSI) rates, staff time, and annual hospital budget. Due to mostly human errors during the compounding and preparation processes, manually…
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The importance of the right fatty acids in early nutrition
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are so-called long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) found in breastmilk. They play important roles in the growth and development of babies, especially in brain development and function. To resemble the composition of breastmilk, infant formula has been supplemented with these two fatty acids for many years as the benefits of supplementing DHA together with ARA in infant formula and follow-on formula have been scientifically proven. Yet, a…
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World Breastfeeding Week: great commitment from the preterm birth community
For six years, EFCNI has been actively supporting and participating in World Breastfeeding Week with its own awareness initiatives. This year's slogan "Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet", also put environmental aspects which affect our babies' health and future, on the agenda. EFCNI strongly supports breastfeeding and wants to do its part to increase the number of newborns that benefit from breastmilk. At the same time, it is also crucial to represent and support the most vulnerable group of newborns:…
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Should infant and follow-on formula continue to contain arachidonic acid in the future?
A position paper of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the Child Health Foundation From February 2020 onwards, new standards for infant and follow-on formula will be in effect in the European Union (Commission Delegated Regulation 2016/127). The new standards stipulate the obligatory addition of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid) at concentrations 2-3 times higher than typically found in human milk and in DHA-containing infant formula used during the last 2 decades. However, there is no obligation to…
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Enteral nutrition: how to support growth and development of preterm and ill newborns safely
Interview with Dr Corinna Gebauer, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany If a preterm baby or a hospitalized newborn cannot be fed normally, because they are not yet able to coordinate sucking and swallowing, for instance, then enteral feeding can be a way of nutritional support. In this interview, Dr Corinna Gebauer, from the University Hospital Leipzig, Germany, shares her expertise about nutritional support for newborns and the aspect…
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