Friday, May 17, 2024, is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Awareness Day. NEC is a life-threatening intestinal disease affecting mostly preterm babies in their first few weeks of life. NEC is caused by inflammation of the small intestine or colon which results in tissue injury in the intestine. It is a complex disease that affects 5% of premature infants and has a 50% mortality rate.
NEC does not have one single cause, but there are several preventative measures that can help to reduce an infant’s risk. Breast milk from an infant’s mother offers the most protection, but when a mother’s breast milk is unavailable, pasteurized donor milk provides more protection than formula. There is also evidence that providing premature babies with probiotics can reduce their risk of NEC.
Cooper’s NICU is the highest Level III NICU in South Jersey offering on-site expertise for premature infants and newborns who have medical problems related to prematurity. Our NICU team works tirelessly to reduce the rate of NEC and to prevent complications from this life-threatening disease.