Comparative of early parenteral nutrition and late parenteral nutrition in preterm neonates

Baby born before 37 completed weeks of gestation (Preterm neonates) can hardly get the nutrition required for their growth due to the incompetence of sucking and gastrointestinal functions. Their chances of better growth and neural development may be increased though earlier nutrition support right after birth, which also makes the issue of preterm neonates’ nutritional needs more crucial, and parenteral administration is often used [1]. Martin et al. [2] shows that early nutrition support is crucial to the growth of preterm neonates. Parenteral amino acid is an part of early neutrition supplementation in preterm neonates. Although safety and efficacy of early nutrition have been demonstrated, benefits for the early administration of high dose amino acid in Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) neonates are still scarce [3]. For quick nutritional support, evidence from several studies suggest that intravenous nutrition (parenteral nutrition, PN) be given right after birth with protein intake ≥ 2.0 g/kg/day, which is to be raised up to 3.5 g/kg/day in the next two to four days [4,5]. In addition, researchers such as Ziegler suggests that lipid be given to preterm neonates by 1.0 g/ kg/day and be slowly raised up to 3.0 g/kg/day in days while Embeleton and Simmer suggest the intravenous fat emulsions be given on the day of birth by ≥ 2.0 g/kg/day and be raised up to 3.0-4.0 g/kg/day in the next two to four days [5,6]. To achieve ideal growth, a total of 90-100 kcal/ kg/day is also suggested by Ziegler to be given to preterm neonates in the next few days to a week right after their birth [4,6].