Prolacta Bioscience Spotlights Advancements in Human Milk Science for Prematurity Awareness Month

Premature Infants Born Today Have a Greater Chance to Survive & Thrive Thanks to the Use of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet in the NICU

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. Nov 19, 2014 – In recognition of Prematurity Awareness Month, Prolacta Bioscience®, the pioneer in human milk-based nutritional products, is raising awareness for recent advancements in the field of human milk science that are helping to save the lives of critically ill, premature babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) nationwide.

Growing evidence supports the health benefits of an exclusive human milk diet for premature infants in the NICU, as opposed to cow milk-based nutrition or formula. A study published this year in Breastfeeding Medicine is an example of this, concluding that an exclusive human milk diet results in lower mortality for extremely premature infants.1

Critically ill and premature infants have special dietary needs requiring higher levels of fat, protein and calories than a full-term baby would need. A second study published this year in the Journal of Pediatrics concluded that successfully incorporating a human milk caloric fortifier made from pasteurized human milk cream into premature infants’ diets improved their growth outcomes in the NICU. Since human breast milk is highly variable, a significant percentage typically contains less than 20 calories per fluid ounce. Adding a human milk-derived cream supplement to mom’s own or donor breast milk when less than 20 calories are present provides the nutrition these preemies need for growth. 2

When used as part of an exclusive human milk diet, Prolacta’s Neonatal Nutritional Products are clinically proven 3,4,5 to improve health outcomes, decrease mortality 6 and reduce healthcare system costs7 for critically ill preemies in the NICU. All Prolacta products are derived from 100-percent human breast milk and are formulated to meet the needs of extremely premature infants in the NICU. This includes a standardized pasteurized milk formulation for use in NICUs, which supports the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recommendation that all preterm infants receive breast milk, be it a mother’s own or donor milk.8
“A preemie born today has a better chance of survival thanks to new discoveries about the use of an exclusive human milk diet in the NICU,” said Scott Elster, President and CEO of Prolacta Bioscience. “We are proud to be leading the scientific and clinical research to bring the healing power of breast milk to the most fragile preemies in hospital NICUs nationwide.”

About Prolacta Bioscience

Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. is a privately-held life sciences company dedicated to Advancing the Science of Human Milk®. The company pioneered the development of human milk-based Neonatal Nutritional Products to meet the needs of critically ill, premature infants in the NICU. Prolacta leads the industry in the quality and safety of nutritional products made from breast milk and operates the first and only pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility for the processing of human breast milk. For more information please visit www.prolacta.com.

1. Abrams S, et al., “Greater Mortality and Morbidity in Extremely Preterm Infants Fed a Diet Containing Cow Milk Protein Products.” Breastfeeding Medicine. 2014;9(6):281-285
2. Hair A, et al., “Randomized Trial of Human Milk Cream as a Supplement to Standard Fortification of an Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet in Infants 750-1250g Birth Weight.” Journal of Pediatrics. 2014;165(5):915-920
3. Sullivan S, et al., “An Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet is Associated with a Lower Rate of Necrotizing Enterocolitis than a Diet of Human Milk and Bovine Milk-Based Products.” Journal of Pediatrics. 2010;156(4):562-567
4. Cristofalo E, et al., “Randomized Trial of Exclusive Human Milk versus Preterm Formula Diets in Extremely Premature Infants.” Journal of Pediatrics. 2013;163(6):1592-1595
5. Hair A, et al., “Randomized Trial of Human Milk Cream as a Supplement to Standard Fortification of an Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet in Infants 750-1250g Birth Weight.” Journal of Pediatrics. 2014;165(5):915-920
6. Abrams S, et al., “Greater Mortality and Morbidity in Extremely Preterm Infants Fed a Diet Containing Cow Milk Protein Products.” Breastfeeding Medicine. 2014;9(6):281-285
7. Ganapathy V, et al., “Long Term Healthcare Costs of Infants Who Survived Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study Among Infants Enrolled in Texas Medicaid.” BMC Pediatrics. 2013;13:127
8. American Academy of Pediatrics, “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk.” Pediatrics. 2012;129:e827