The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development estimates that NEC affects about 9,000 of the 480,000 infants born preterm each year in the United States . NEC results from inflammation of the small intestine or colon that ultimately causes the tissue to necrotize or die . NEC begins with tiny perforations in the infant ’ s digestive tract , which causes bacteria to leak into the infant ’ s abdomen or bloodstream . When a child develops NEC , it can lead to organ failure or even death . Those infants that survive NEC are typically faced with long-term injuries such as intestinal failure , short gut syndrome , and / or developmental delays .
62 x The Trial Lawyer
Science Favors Human Milk
A growing body of evidence suggests that there is a statistically significant relationship between cow ’ s milk-based formula and NEC in premature infants .
While the biological mechanism for the development of NEC with the use of cow ’ s milk-based formula is not fully understood , studies have found that the unbound free fatty acids in cow ’ s milk likely makes the formula cytotoxic in premature infants . The formula ’ s cytotoxicity likely results in damage to the intestinal wall of premature infants . Many