The Effectiveness of the Use of Probiotics in the Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

PICO Question: In very low birth weight infants (VLBW), does the use of prophylactic probiotics decrease the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis? Method: Databases searched include PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, ScienceDirect, UpToDate, and CINAHL databases, resulting in 10 relevant articles (four meta-analyses, two systematic reviews, three randomized controlled trials, and one cohort study). Results: The review of literature concluded that overall there is a decrease in the incidence of NEC when VLBW infants are given prophylactic probiotics. Recommendations: In conclusion, probiotics have shown efficacy in preventing NEC with no confirmed reports of adverse effects to VLBW infants. The final recommendation would be to implement the use of probiotics for VLBW infants. The conclusions strongly suggest a change in practice, and hospital NICUs would greatly benefit from the use of probiotics