ABSTRACT
Nutritional Goals for the Premature Infant ............................................................................................................................. 259 Growth and Nutrient Requirements ........................................................................................................................................ 261
Provision of Nutrients ........................................................................................................................................................ 262 Energy Needs ................................................................................................................................................................ 262 Amino Acid Needs ........................................................................................................................................................ 262 Lipid Needs ................................................................................................................................................................... 262 Parenteral Nutrition ....................................................................................................................................................... 262 Mineral Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 263 Nutrient Delivery ........................................................................................................................................................... 264 Enteral Nutrition ............................................................................................................................................................ 266 Oral Feeding .................................................................................................................................................................. 266 Nutrient Delivery ........................................................................................................................................................... 266
Special Considerations ....................................................................................................................................................... 268 Essential Fatty Acids ..................................................................................................................................................... 268 Carnitine ........................................................................................................................................................................ 268 Glutamine ...................................................................................................................................................................... 268 Taurine ........................................................................................................................................................................... 269 Donor Breast Milk ......................................................................................................................................................... 269
Postnatal Growth ..................................................................................................................................................................... 269 References ............................................................................................................................................................................... 269
With the ever-increasing survival of low-birth-weight and very-low-birth-weight infants, understanding the principles of nutritional therapy becomes all the more important. It is estimated that there are over 4 million births in the United States every year; with an increased estimated prematurity rate of 12%,1 the number of infants requiring such management is enormous. This review will focus on the nutritional goals, nutrient requirements, and enteral and parenteral routes of nutritional therapy.
