NNIW96: Importance Of The Gut Microbiome In Preterm Infants

Breast milk is the main factor associated with microbiome development up to 12 months of age. One of the primary roles of human milk oligosaccharides is to serve as a prebiotic, particularly for Bifidobacterium. Using 1,477 stool samples from healthy preterm infants to look at the clinical variables associated with the gut microbiome, it’s surprising that gestational age and birth weight were not significant factors in microbiome profiles. Far more significant were antibiotics, breast milk and breast milk fortifier, while probiotics were most associated with an altered microbiome development.