jENS 6th Congress of Joint European Neonatal Societies

The Nestlé Nutrition Institute (NNI) and Wyeth Nutrition Science Center (WNSC) hosted the symposium titled, “Nurturing Potential: How Nutrition and HMOs Shape the Future of Preterm Infants” on October 22, 12:45-1:45 PM, at the 6th Congress of joint European Neonatal Studies in Belgrade, Serbia. This event brought together leading experts to share the latest research and clinical strategies for optimizing nutrition and improving outcomes for preterm infants — from early life through the post-discharge period. Professor Nadja Haiden highlighted post-discharge nutritional management as a critical period of preterm infant care, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding, nutritional and growth monitoring, tailored nutrient supplementation, and evidence-based complementary feeding to support long-term outcomes in this vulnerable population. Dr. Boutaina Zemrani discussed the potential benefits of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) among preterm infants in supporting immune function, promoting gut health, and improving developmental outcomes, along with emerging evidence on HMO supplementation and its possible clinical applications to enhance the care of preterm infants. Together, these insights provided healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools to optimize nutritional care for preterm infants at every stage of their journey — laying the foundation for healthier growth, stronger immunity, and improved developmental outcomes.​