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. 2015 Jan;32(1):1-8.
doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1372426. Epub 2014 Mar 28.

Missed oral feeding opportunities and preterm infants' time to achieve full oral feedings and neonatal intensive care unit discharge

Heather L Tubbs-Cooley  1 , Rita H Pickler  1 , Jareen K Meinzen-Derr  2
Affiliations

Missed oral feeding opportunities and preterm infants' time to achieve full oral feedings and neonatal intensive care unit discharge

Heather L Tubbs-Cooley et al. Am J Perinatol. 2015 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association of missed oral feeding opportunities among preterm infants with achievement of full oral feedings and length of hospitalization.

Study design: A secondary analysis of clinical trial data was conducted. Study infants included in the analysis (N = 89) were randomized to one of four standardized feeding progression approaches; detailed records on all feedings were maintained. The proportion of oral feeding opportunities reported as missed due to factors unrelated to the infant's clinical condition was calculated for each infant.

Results: The proportion of missed oral feeding opportunities per infant ranged from 0 to 0.12; 30 infants experienced one or more missed oral feeding opportunity. Each 1% increase in the proportion of missed oral feeding opportunities extended the time to achieve full oral feeding by 1.45 days (p = 0.007) and time to discharge by 1.36 days (p = 0.047).

Conclusion: Preterm infants' missed oral feeding opportunities may adversely affect feeding outcomes and extend hospitalization.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest related to the conduct or results of this research.

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