A Systemic Review of the Difference Between Diets for Preterm Infants Containing Raw Mother’s Own Milk and Frozen or Pasteurized Mother’s Own Milk

Background: Raw, never stored or pasteurized mother’s own milk (MOM) is not always available to feed preterm infants; however, storage and pasteurization of MOM diminishes some bioactive components. It can be difficult to feed raw MOM to preterm infants due to transportation and storage of small volumes that might be pumped away from the infant, and a concern that they might harbor bacteria. However, the higher availability of bioactive components in raw MOM may provide benefits to preterm infants compared to frozen or pasteurized MOM. Research Aim: To systematically review and summarize the results of studies on feeding raw MOM versus frozen or pasteurized MOM to preterm infants born at less than 37 weeks of gestation. Methods: Four databases were searched (Cochrane, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science) for this systematic review. Of 542 studies identified, nine met inclusion criteria and were critically evaluated using the quality assessment tool for quantitative studies by the Effective Public Health Practice Project. Studies were organized using the Breastfeeding Challenges Facing Preterm Mother–Infant Dyads theoretical framework. Results: Included studies evaluated the outcomes of preterm infants fed raw versus pasteurized MOM ( n = 7, 77.8%) or raw versus frozen MOM ( n = 2, 22.2%). Researchers found that raw MOM did not increase infant infections and may have improved health and growth outcomes for study participants. Conclusion: There is laboratory evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of the use of raw MOM for preterm infants. A raw MOM diet is recommended for preterm infants by professional organizations. Despite this, it may not be universally prioritized and could require purposeful implementation by each institution. Further research is needed to pursue the potential benefits of a raw MOM diet for preterm infants.