Effect of human milk diets on growth in preterm infants
Official title: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Two Human Milk Volumes to Optimize Growth and Gut Health in Infants Born Very Preterm
Run by University of Alabama at Birmingham · NCT06420531 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if giving moderately preterm infants more human milk can help them grow better without causing any health issues.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 6 Hours to 4 Days |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 486 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Alabama at Birmingham Academic / other |
| Locations | 4 sites (Birmingham, Alabama and 3 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 16, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 1, 2029 |
| Study ends | August 30, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | October 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06420531 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are infants born between 27 and 31 weeks of gestation with a birthweight of 1500 grams or less who are fed human milk during the first 14 days after birth.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe gastrointestinal complications or major congenital anomalies may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This multi-center randomized trial aims to evaluate the impact of different volumes of human milk diets on the growth outcomes of moderately preterm infants born between 27 and 31 weeks of gestation. Participants will be assigned to receive either 140-160 mL/kg/day or 180-200 mL/kg/day of human milk, with adjustments made by clinicians as needed until they reach 34 weeks postmenstrual age. The study will involve multiple assessments of body composition, stool, and breastmilk samples, as well as a blood sample at 36 weeks corrected age. The goal is to determine if higher feeding volumes can prevent growth faltering without adverse metabolic effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could improve growth outcomes for preterm infants, potentially leading to better long-term health.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with human milk diets in preterm infants, indicating potential for success in this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Gestational age between 27 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks * Birthweight of 1500 grams or less * Human milk feeding during the first 14 days after birth * Full enteral feeding (120mL/kg/day or more) within the first 14 days after birth Exclusion Criteria: * Necrotizing enterocolitis stage 2 or greater * Spontaneous intestinal perforation * Major congenital/chromosomal anomalies * Terminal illness requiring limited or withheld support * Intention to restrict fluid intake after the first 14 postnatal days due to the presence of a symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) * Any formula feeding within the first 14 days after birth
Where it's running
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States Recruiting -
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Dallas, Texas, United States Recruiting -
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas, United States Recruiting -
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, United States Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Ariel A. Salas, MD, MSPH — UAB Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ariel A. Salas, MD, MSPH
- Email: asalas@uab.edu
- Phone: 205-934-4680
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Household, wellbeing, and quality-of-life impacts of very preterm birth and necrotising enterocolitis
This project will collect information to see if pausing or continuing milk feeds around blood transfusions relates to babies' quality of life and the financial and emotional impact on families of very preterm infants, especially those with NEC.
-
Giving surfactant to premature infants using a thin catheter at birth
This study is testing if giving a special lung treatment to very premature babies right after birth using a thin tube can help them breathe better and need less breathing support in their first few days of life.
-
Earlier use of an electric breast pump to maximize milk in preterm babies
This study tests whether starting a double electric breast pump earlier (at birth) helps mothers of very preterm infants produce more milk by day 14.
-
Adding azithromycin to ampicillin for late PPROM
This test sees if adding a single dose of azithromycin to the usual ampicillin/amoxicillin treatment helps newborns when membranes break early between 34.0 and 36.6 weeks.
-
Medically tailored groceries to support pregnant people facing food insecurity
This project will test whether home-delivered medically tailored groceries, with or without extra food education, help Medicaid-eligible pregnant people in Cuyahoga County improve nutrition and birth outcomes.
-
Tracking intellectual and motor development in babies at high risk for cerebral palsy
This project will follow babies at higher risk for cerebral palsy to see if early thinking and movement signs predict later intellectual and motor outcomes.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.