Vitamin K and folate status of breast fed preterm infants
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Vitamin K and folic acid status of exclusively breast preterm infants at neonatal unit discharge and at 3 months corrected age: an exploratory study
IRAS ID
160751
Contact name
Paul Clarke
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This is an exploratory study with the prime aim of obtaining some preliminary data about vitamin K and folic acid status in preterm infants at neonatal discharge and in early infancy. We will assess the vitamin K and folate status of a small cohort (30 infants) of exclusively human milk fed preterm infants at the point of discharge home (approx. 36 weeks post-menstrual age) and at age ~3 months corrected age.The clinical practice regarding folic acid supplementation currently varies across the UK and also between the participating NICUs. Addenbrooke’s Hospital neonatal unit routinely supplements babies who are breast milk fed with folic acid 50 µg/day from the time of full feeds and post-discharge until they are at their expected due date (term equivalent), whereas the Norfolk and Norwich neonatal unit does not give extra folic acid supplements as a routine to breast milk-feeding babies before or after discharge. This study proposes to investigate the vitamin K and folate status of these infants at the point of discharge (at approximately 36 weeks corrected gestational age) and at age 3 months corrected age.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1808
Date of REC Opinion
16 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion