Infant Formula/Necrotizing Enterocolitis
If your premature baby consumed bovine (cow’s)-based infant formula and/or fortifier and developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), you may want to consider legal representation to protect your civil rights. Research has linked preterm infant cow’s based formula and/or fortifier to an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis.
Scientific literature is showing that cow’s based infant formulas and/or fortifier designed for preterm babies are linked to significantly higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis. NEC is a serious gastrointestinal inflammatory disease. It often requires emergency surgeries and has a 25-50% mortality rate in preterm infants.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a condition in which the intestines become highly inflamed, severely injuring the gut wall barrier. The resulting necrosis (tissue death) – or holes in the gut wall barrier – can cause dangerous bacteria to “leak” out of the intestines. Emergency surgery may be the only avenue left to save the child.
While necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) can occur in full-term infants, preterm infants can be five-times more likely to develop NEC.
Bovine (Cow’s) milk-based infant formula and fortifier suspected.
Cow’s milk based infant formula may be the culprit. Research shows that preterm infants that receive cow’s milk based formula or fortifier can be 5 times more likely to develop NEC.
Some of the most common bovine milk-based preterm infant formulas and fortifiers include:
• Similac Special Care
• Similac Neosure
• Similar Human Milk Fortifier
• Enfamil NueroPro Enfacare
• Enfamil Premature Infant Formula
• Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier
Many premature babies are fed cow’s milk based formula because they are unable to breastfeed. Premies often don’t have the energy or the coordination needed to perform the “suck-swallow-breathe” rhythm. Consequently, preterm infants often begin feedings via intravenous delivery or enteral feeds of either the mother’s own human milk, human donor milk, or preterm infant formula.
In addition, sometimes doctors recommend adding additional supplementation with “fortifiers.” While human milk fortifiers exist, some doctors use fortifiers made from cow-based (bovine) milk.
Manufacturers of Cow’s Milk Based Formula and Fortifiers
Manufacturers of Cow’s Milk Based Formula and Fortifiers, like Abbot Laboratories and Mead Johnson & Company (who are the largest manufacturers of these products), have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their products prior to sale, especially when their products are used to help premature babies. Unfortunately, these manufacturers have acted negligently, including by failing to warn of the increased risk of NEC with consumption of their cow’s milk based products, causing unsuspecting parents to put their children at risk and families across the nation to endure losing their children to a seemingly safe product.
Families across the nation have begun to seek compensation against the manufacturer, and if your child was harmed by these unsafe products, you may be entitled to compensation as well. Attorneys are available by phone (1-800-558-5842) e-mail at NEC@freeseandgoss.com, or by submitting the free case evaluation form.