It's pretty hard for preterm babies to grow strong and healthy, so scientists try their best to find solutions for them.
A new discovery shows that specific omega fatty acids can help these babies to become stronger and healthier.
Let's find out more!
An amazing discovery
Research reveals that premature infants who received a supplement containing both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids demonstrated improved visual function by the age of two and a half.
This experiment focused on 179 extremely preterm infants born before the 28th week of pregnancy in 2016-2019 in various neonatal units.
Half of these kids received oral nutritional supplements with the omega-6 fatty acid AA and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA.
These fatty acids were not part of the standard supplements given to extremely preterm infants immediately after birth.
Previous experiments had already revealed that this combination supplement reduced the risk of a sight-threatening eye disease called ROP (retinopathy of prematurity) by half.
The current research examined the visual development of these children at the age of two and a half, adjusting for their premature birth.
This improvement wasn't just because of the supplement's effect on the retina but also because it appeared to enhance the brain's ability to interpret visual information.
Why it's important
This research is significant as it addresses the crucial issue of nutrition and supplementation for extremely preterm babies.
While Sweden lacks precise guidelines for administering fatty acid supplements to these kids, the study's findings are likely to influence future guidelines.
The researchers plan to continue studying the same group of children to explore their cognitive and neurological development further.
