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Neonatal Necrotizing
Enterocolitis
Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
(NEC) is a serious gastrointestinal disease of unknown cause
that predominately affects premature infants. The bowel becomes
damaged and can weaken causing severe illness in the baby.
Prematurity is the primary risk factor for NEC. Feeding the
baby breast milk may have a protective effect.
Treatment consists of stopping
milk feeds and antibiotics, some babies will require surgery
to remove part of the affected bowel. Once recovery has started
milk feeds are gradually introduced however this may take
sometime during which the baby will require intravenous feeding.
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