Work

Current enteral feeding practices for premature infants in neonatal intensive care units in the Middle East and North Africa

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives We aimed to gather insights from physicians regarding feeding practices for premature infants in the Middle East and North Africa. Methods An online survey was distributed among physicians who managed premature infants. Descriptive analyses were used to evaluate the responses. Results In total, 1000 out of 1300 participants from Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates completed the survey. As reported, the participants included neonatologists ( n = 678), general pediatricians ( n = 258), and pediatric gastroenterologists ( n = 14). Nearly half the participants ( n = 466; 49.2%) had over 10 years of experience. Overall, 53.4% of participants followed available feeding protocols, 16.8% inconsistently adhered to available protocols, and 14.8% reported unavailability of feeding protocols in their practice. Some participants (36%) had concerns about feeding‐related complications with early initiation of enteral feeding. We observed variations in feeding practices as well as the management and monitoring of feeding‐related complications in preterm infants among the participants. Additionally, awareness of human milk fortifiers was variable and correlated with clinical experience. Conclusion There is a need for training healthcare professionals, standardizing feeding protocols, and optimizing care for preterm infants across the region to reduce feeding‐related complications and improve long‐term health outcomes.

Source: JPGN Reports

DOI: 10.1002/jpr3.70103