Renate Savich, MD: Medical decisions about the nutritional needs of preterm infants should be made by trained doctors

Every day, families who are experiencing the exciting journey toward parenthood are confronted with the challenging reality of a premature birth. As a result, the joy of welcoming a child into the world is accompanied by an overwhelming amount of concern as they place their premature baby’s life in the hands of doctors and nurses.

Every day, numerous medical decisions are made by the doctors and nurses in order to provide the best care for these babies. Yet new litigation surrounding formula products threatens to get in between the delivery of care from top medical experts and the infants who need it the most.

The litigation relates to a terrible disease called necrotizing enterocolitis, also known as NEC. The cause of NEC is not known but it is related to prematurity and the immaturity of a baby’s digestive system. Dangerous bacteria cause infection and inflammation in the baby’s intestines, which can lead to tissue damage.

According to the NEC Society, a nonprofit founded by families who have been affected by NEC, more than 3,500 infants are diagnosed annually with the disease, including 1 in 10 premature infants. NEC has been happening to premature babies for over 100 years and is seen in babies throughout the world.

NEC is a mysterious disease and finding its cure won’t come through litigation. Yet that has not stopped a new set of lawsuits which blame the manufacturers of preterm infant formula and human milk fortifiers for NEC.

Years of published research shows that human milk, either mother’s own milk or milk from a donor, has unique protective qualities that reduce the incidence of NEC. However, feeding premature infants comes with unique challenges, including an underdeveloped gastrointestinal system. In these situations, every drop of liquid counts, and human milk is often deficient in the nutrition the infant needs.

Read more in the Albuquerque Journal