PROBIOTIC supplementation is an effective strategy to lower the risk of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and related deaths in preterm infants, according to a new study.
Researchers reviewed and synthesised data from 35 previously published meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials, making this one of the most extensive evaluations to date on the use of probiotics in neonatal care. The analysis focused on infants born before 37 weeks of gestation and compared the effects of probiotic supplementation, both single-strain and multi-strain, against placebo or standard care.
The results were compelling: probiotics were associated with a 49% reduction in the risk of NEC and a 28% reduction in related mortality. Multi-strain formulations showed particular promise, further supporting their role in neonatal intensive care protocols.
The authors emphasise that, while probiotic interventions vary in formulation and delivery, the overarching evidence supports their implementation as a preventive measure for one of the most devastating gastrointestinal conditions in neonates.
“These findings validate the growing consensus that probiotics can and should be used to protect vulnerable preterm infants from NEC,” the authors conclude.
As NEC remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal units, this study may influence updated clinical guidelines and help standardise the use of probiotics in early-life care.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Han J et al. The effectiveness of treatment with probiotics in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis and related mortality: results from an umbrella meta-analysis on meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. BMC Gastroenterol. 2025;DOI: 10.1186/s12876-025-03788-0.
