Dr. Jenny Fox reveals shocking insights on exclusive human milk diet adoption

In a significant presentation held on December 10, 2024, at the Hot Topics in Neonatology conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Dr. Jenny Fox from Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University discussed the substantial advantages of using an Exclusive Human Milk Diet (EHMD) for critically ill and premature infants. Prolacta Bioscience, the leading provider of human milk-based nutritional products, organized the presentation, which attracted a diverse group of over 1,000 healthcare professionals specializing in neonatology and perinatology. Dr. Fox aimed to educate her audience on how EHMD implementation has transformed the care and outcomes of vulnerable infants within the neonatal intensive care settings. This emerging dietary protocol utilizes 100% human milk, promoting better health outcomes compared with traditional feeding methods. Dr. Fox highlighted findings from two published studies that support her advocacy for this nutritional approach. The first, a meta-analysis published in the journal Nutrients, revealed that preterm infants receiving human milk-based nutritional fortifiers experienced a 50% reduction in mortality rates. This significant statistic offers hope for improving survival rates among the most fragile newborns, enabling a collective focus among clinicians on adopting similar nutritional strategies in their hospitals. The second study, a peer-reviewed report co-authored by Dr. Fox, published in BMC Pediatrics, demonstrated the potential cost savings associated with adopting EHMD protocols. According to the findings, hospitals can save between $500,000 to $3.4 million annually, thereby positively impacting their financial viability while simultaneously enhancing patient care. Dr. Fox expressed her personal observations over the past decade, stating that she has witnessed the benefits of human milk-based protocols in treating extremely premature infants. Her eagerness to share insights aims to empower more clinicians to adopt effective nutrition strategies for their patients. The chief medical officer of Prolacta, Dr. Melinda Elliott, also reinforced the notion that EHMD adoption has a multifaceted advantage, improving both the health of vulnerable infants and the economic health of hospitals. The Hot Topics in Neonatology conference has been pivotal in serving as a knowledge-sharing platform for professionals in the field for over 30 years. This year, it gathered more than 1,000 neonatologists and perinatologists from across the globe, underscoring the critical importance of topics discussed throughout the event, particularly the implementation of human milk diets. Prolacta's innovative approach to nutrition is part of a broader movement toward enhancing neonatal care and addressing the unique needs of preterm infants, reinforcing the essential role of human milk in pediatric health protocols.