Human Milk Fortification – Evidence Related to Bovine vs Human Milk Derived
Miami Neonatology 2023—47th Annual International Conference

This education is about:

• Whether a link exists between the use of human milk fortifiers and long-term developmental outcomes
• Important considerations when using various fortifier products
• A critique of the evidence around human milk- and bovine-based fortifiers and the risk of NEC 
• Reasons why special considerations are needed when using donor milk

Why it matters:

Human milk fortifier is necessary to meet the metabolic needs of preterm infants, who require higher intakes of protein, calcium, and phosphorus to optimize growth. Recent studies on human milk-based and bovine-based fortifiers are reviewed and critiqued to reveal the impact of these fortifiers on the risk of NEC, growth and other outcomes.

• Profile

  Brenda Poindexter, MD, MS

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  Brenda Poindexter, MD, MS, is chief and system medical director of the Division of Neonatology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Marcus Professor in Neonatology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Poindexter received her medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and an MS degree in clinical research from Indiana University in Indianapolis. She completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at Indiana University’s Riley Hospital for Children.

  Dr. Poindexter’s primary research interests, involving both observational and interventional trials, relate to the role of early nutrition in growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants. She also formed a multicenter consortium to evaluate the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on outcomes. Prior to joining Children’s Healthcare, she served as director for clinical and translational research for the Perinatal Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and for more than a decade she was a principal investigator for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Neonatal Research Network.

  Dr. Poindexter serves as a member of the American Board of Pediatrics Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Subboard, providing direction for subspecialty certification. She is a co-editor of Nutritional Care of Preterm Infants: Scientific Basis and Practical Guidelines, a textbook and practical resource for neonatologists, dietitians and nurses. Written by a team of experts from around the world, the book summarizes current knowledge about the nutritional requirements of preterm infants, addressing the complexity of meeting those requirements, and presenting unambiguous recommendations.

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  Brenda Poindexter, MD, MS

  Chief, Division of Neonatology
  System Medical Director for Neonatology
  Marcus Professor of Pediatrics
  Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University
  Atlanta, Georgia