Other complications

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.