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5% of preterm babies develop a condition that negatively affects their intestine.8 This is because babies who are born prematurely are more likely to have an unbalanced gut microbiota, which can make them more vulnerable to infections that may impact their digestive system.3
Research shows that a special blend of probiotics may support the development of healthy immune and digestive systems in preterm babies.4, 5 This blend is a specific combination of the Bifidobacterium, BB-12®, Streptococcus thermophilus, TH-4® (hereafter referred to by use of the trademarks BB-12® and TH-4®) and Bifidobacterium infantis (DSM 33361) probiotic strains.
BB-12® and TH-4® are registered trademarks of Chr. Hansen A/S.
The article is provided for informational purposes regarding probiotics and is not meant to suggest that any substance referenced in the article is intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any disease.
The probiotic strain Bifidobacterium, BB-12® is the world’s most documented probiotic bifidobacterium. It has been extensively studied and has been associated with improved outcomes across various health areas.
BB-12® is a registered trademark of Chr. Hansen A/S
1. Cotten CM, et al. Prolonged hospital stay for extremely premature infants: risk factors, center differences, and the impact of mortality on selecting a best-performing center. J Perinatol. 2005;25(10):650-5. (PubMed)
2. Alganabi M, et al. Recent advances in understanding necrotizing enterocolitis. F1000Res. 2019;8. (PubMed)
3. Unger S, et al. Gut microbiota of the very-low-birth-weight infant. Pediatr Res. 2015;77(1-2):205-13. (PubMed)
4. Jacobs SE, et al. Probiotic effects on late-onset sepsis in very preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2013;132(6):1055-62. (PubMed)
5. Bin-Nun A, et al. Oral probiotics prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight neonates. J Pediatr. 2005;147(2):192-6. (PubMed)
6. Chawanpaiboon S, et al. Global, regional, and national estimates of levels of preterm birth in 2014: a systematic review and modelling analysis. The Lancet Global Health. 2019;7(1):e37-e46. (PubMed)
7. Rodríguez JM, et al. The composition of the gut microbiota throughout life, with an emphasis on early life. Microb Ecol Health Dis. 2015;26:26050-. (PubMed)
8. Neu J, Walker WA. Necrotizing enterocolitis. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(3):255-64. (PubMed)
9. van den Akker CHP, et al. Probiotics and Preterm Infants: A Position Paper by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition and the ESPGHAN Working Group for Probiotics and Prebiotics. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2020;Publish Ahead of Print. (PubMed)
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