International survey on enteral nutrition, supplementation and probiotic practices for preterm infants

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate enteral feeding practices in preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in high-income countries across three continents, and compare results with a similar survey 13 years earlier. METHODS: Web-based survey distributed to neonatologists at 258 NICUs across 15 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, October 2023 and February 2024. Survey domains focused on availability of human milk, onset of enteral feeding, breast milk fortification (BMF), cytomegalovirus (CMV) screening and enteral supplements including probiotics. Results were compared with a similar survey performed in 2010. RESULTS: Replies were received from 185 (72%) NICUs. Access to donor human milk (DHM) was high (91%). Across all NICUs, feeds were started on day 1 in 64%, 73% and 85% among infants born