Human milk supplementation. Delivery of energy, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and zinc
J. Bhatia and D. K. Rassin
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
Human milk when fed to preterm infants is frequently supplemented with
human milk fortifiers that provide an additional source of protein, energy,
and minerals. Human milk that was provided by the mother of a preterm
infant, and that was supplemented with commercially available human milk
fortifiers, was assessed under simulated syringe-pump and bolus feeding
circumstances for the delivery of energy, calcium, phosphorus, copper,
magnesium, and zinc to an infant. In general, the nutrients were not
completely delivered with syringe-pump feedings, with the greatest losses
occurring in the concentrations of calcium and phosphorus. The losses were
more pronounced with the use of a powdered fortifier than with the use of a
liquid fortifier. Little or no change in the concentrations of the various
nutrients were observed with simulated bolus feeding. We suggest that human
milk fortified with supplements be fed with care to assure complete
delivery of the nutrients and that infants receiving such feedings be
monitored to assure adequate nutritional status.
