Cost-effectiveness of Donor Milk versus Preterm Formula for Neurodevelopment and Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Awareness of the benefits of mother’s milk for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants has led to a rise in donor milk (DM) use despite limited data evaluating its efficacy or cost-effectiveness. Studies estimate DM reduces hospital costs compared to preterm (PTF), but none were conducted using prospectively collected patient-level data in an RCT that reflects the actual costs of resources used. This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of DM versus PTF as a supplement to mother’s milk from a societal perspective from birth to 18 months. There was no difference in costs between groups, with median (IQR) costs of $193 404 ($129 656-$283 359) in the DM group and $189 819 ($129 343-$264 237) in the PTF group. While DM compared to PTF reduced the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, it did not result in cost savings nor was it cost-effective for improving neurodevelopment at 18 months corrected age.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Susan Trang
Language: English
Topic: Infant Nutrition and Health
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3087881392