FDA has issued official warnings to medical professionals about giving probiotics to preterm infants. Doctors are advised not to provide probiotics to premature newborns by authorities.
Probiotics have reportedly been fatal for a premature infant in a hospital recently. This has caused the recent turn of events. These supplements may include fungus and bacteria that could have caused the death. The infant weighed 2.2 pounds.
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A probiotic called Evivo with MCT Oil was administered to the newborn who died as part of in-hospital treatment.
“Given the lack of FDA-regulated pharmaceutical grade products in the United States, conflicting data on safety and efficacy, and potential for harm in a highly vulnerable population, current evidence does not support the routine, universal administration of probiotics to preterm infants, particularly those with a birth weight of less than 1,000 grams [2.2 pounds],” says the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Officially, no prebiotics have been sanctioned by the FDA.
The negative impacts of prebiotics will be almost negligible in most cases involving healthy adults. However, the effect can be totally different for preterm babies, especially if the baby is suffering from any physical conditions or is underweight.
Prebiotics are obtained by infants through their mother’s breast milk. Breast milk is the best source of probiotics till a baby is six months old.