Probiotics more than halve rates of potentially deadly intestinal condition in preemies

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-09-01 01:00

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Probiotic supplements can cut rates of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants from 12% to 5%, according to Dutch scientists. NEC is a serious medical condition where the newborn's intestines become inflamed and injured, and it can lead to death. The team looked for the effects of probiotic supplementation in 1,413 Dutch preterm infants. Although one case of sepsis linked to the probiotics was reported, the researchers say routine use of multistrain probiotics may be an effective way of reducing NEC in high-risk neonatal care settings.

News release

From: JAMA

Probiotic Implementation and Necrotizing Enterocolitis Risk in Preterm Infants

In this cohort study of preterm infants, implementation of a well-characterized multistrain probiotic was associated with a reduction in NEC incidence. This finding supports the use of the studied probiotic as an effective preventive strategy for NEC, although its effects on broader mortality outcomes remain uncertain.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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