New Perspectives in the Nutrition of Premature and Low Birth Weight Infants

Ursula Wachtel (Honorary Member of the German Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Consultant)

Paediatrica Indonesiana
Vol 29 No 5-6 (1989): May - June 1989

Everybody in this audience is well aware of the fact that in about the last two decades great advances have been made in fetal and neonatal medicine. Due to the recently gained knowledge in fetal biology as well as in neonatal biochemistry, physiology and pathophysiology a much better understanding of special dietary needs in prematurity and infancy has been achieved. Based on sound scientific background completely new feeding regimens are used today, which have not even been thought of about 20 or 30 years ago and which in turn have considerably contributed to the development of so-called "foods for special dietary purposes."