Webinar: Preventing retinopathy of prematurity in very low birthweight infants – the role of nutrition and exclusive human milk

Program Overview:

Preterm Infants, especially those < 30 weeks gestation and/or < 1,500 grams birthweight, are at high-risk for retinopathy of prematurity. ROP pathogenesis is significantly influenced by changes in infant IGF-1 and VEGF levels, which is influenced by breast milk. This series of videos covers this important topic and evaluates the role of an exclusive human milk diet in this VLBW population.

Learning Objectives:

By participating in this unit, participants should be able to:

• Recognise who is at risk and the epidemiology of ROP
• Evaluate the potential benefits of breast milk in preventing retinopathy of prematurity
• Describe how breast milk may reduce retinopathy of prematurity in infants

Speaker Name:

Jonathan R. Swanson, MD, MSc
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
University of Virginia Children's Hospital
Charlottesville, VA, USA