Oral-pharyngeal administration of breast milk in preterm infants

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bucco-pharyngeal administration of breast milk on nutritional outcomes in preterm infants. A total of 80 preterm infants were included in the study and randomly assigned to the intervention group (breast milk) and the control group (sterile water as placebo). Analyses showed that the mean volume of total milk received by the infants and the mean volume of milk received orally at discharge were higher in the intervention group. Oral-pharyngeal administration of breast milk was associated with a shorter hospital stay and shorter time to enteral nutrition.