Comparative growth and biochemical response of very low birthweight infants fed own mother's milk, a premature infant formula, or one of two standard formulas.

Very low birthweight (VLBW) infants weighing less than 1,600 g at birth were fed their own mother's milk (OMM) or randomly assigned to receive one of three formulas: a "humanized" formula (SF), a partially modified casein-predominant cow's milk formula (CF), or a premature formula (PF). All infants were fed at 120 kcal/kg/day where possible. PF infants had significantly greater weight increments (28.0 g/day) than those on OMM (19.4 g/day), SF (18.9 g/day), and CF (18.2 g/day). Those on PF also had greater increments of length, head circumference, and skin-fold thickness than those on the other two formulas and greater length increments than those on OMM. Dynamic skinfold measurements suggested that no infants accumulated excessive amounts of interstitial fluid. Infants on the two standard formulas had significantly greater base deficits, whereas those on CF also had higher urea values. Those on OMM had lower phosphate and higher alkaline phosphatase values than the other groups. Thus VLBW infants fed a premature formula had better growth and fewer biochemical problems than those on standard formulas, whereas supplementation of OMM may be necessary to ensure optimal growth and bone mineralization.