Tag Archives: Probiotics

Neonatal Research Shorts : November 2025

Posted on 10 November 2025 by Keith Barrington

Ybarra M, et al. Low-Grade Germinal Matrix Hemorrhage-Intraventricular Hemorrhage and Concomitant Preterm Brain Injuries: Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 3 Years of Age. J Pediatr. 2025:114713. Previous studies of the long term outcome of infants with germinal matrix or low grade IVH … Continue reading →

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NEC awareness day, 17 May 2025. What is new in NEC prevention?

Posted on 17 May 2025 by Keith Barrington

I thought, as today is NEC awareness day, I would give an overview of recent research about NEC prevention strategies. Probiotics. I am sure my readers are aware of the major problems in the USA which have followed the occurrence … Continue reading →

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Breast is Best; is Fresher Better?

Posted on 30 January 2025 by Keith Barrington

A recurrent problem in the NICU is “bandwagon-jumping”. An intervention with some preliminary positive data, and a possible physiologic rationale is widely adopted and made part of QI bundles with little or no reliable evidence that it is either effective … Continue reading →

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Which Probiotic is Preferable?

Posted on 21 November 2023 by Keith Barrington

The word “probiotic” is defined rather vaguely as a micro-organism which has beneficial health impacts. I think it is obvious that there is a huge difference between fungi that are found in the intestinal microbiome of adults, and the lactic … Continue reading →

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Do probiotics only work in bigger babies? What is the risk-benefit of routine probiotics in the extremely preterm?

Posted on 13 November 2023 by Keith Barrington

The recent statement from the AAP and a recent review article both state that probiotics only appear to be effective in babies over 1000g birthweight. This would be remarkable if it were true. I am trying to think of another … Continue reading →

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Manipulating the Microbiome

Posted on 2 November 2023 by Keith Barrington

Not with human milk based fortifier, but with probiotics. This post is a sort of intersection between some of my recent posts, human-milk based fortifier does not appear to have a positive effect on the intestinal microbiome. But exogenous probiotics … Continue reading →

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The preterm GI tract is not sterile

Posted on 27 October 2023 by Keith Barrington

The FDA are at it again, they seem to be on a mission to go after suppliers of probiotics for preterm babies, and have now attacked Abbott. They appear to have demanded that they stop marketing their probiotic product, as … Continue reading →

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Probiotics. What now?

Posted on 6 October 2023 by Keith Barrington

Many of you will have seen or heard of the FDA warning about probiotics in preterm infants. In a letter (I am not in the USA, so I am not sure exactly who this letter was sent to, or the … Continue reading →

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World NEC awareness day.

Posted on 17 May 2022 by Keith Barrington

As we approach world NEC awareness day (May 17th) I thought I’d do a quick PubMed search to see if I’ve missed anything recently, so I started typing “necrotizing” in the search bar, which immediately suggested “necrotizing enterocolitis” as one … Continue reading →

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AAP guidance on probiotics. As wrong-headed as a head can be wrong.

Posted on 9 May 2022 by Keith Barrington

The AAP issued guidance on probiotic use in the preterm infant last year in the form of what they call a “clinical report”, which I didn’t comment on at the time, I thought it might be a bit redundant as … Continue reading →

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