Breast feeding and infection control in premature newborns: an integrative review

Background and Objectives: investigating the relationship between breast milk use infection control in premature newborns may provide a basis for continuing exclusive breastfeeding, reducing the rates of early introduction of formula and strengthening their immune system. In view of this, the objective was to analyze the relationship between breastfeeding and infection control in premature newborns. Content: an integrative review, which included original articles, available electronically and with a temporal cut of the last five years. Searches were carried out in August 2022 in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ci & ecirc;ncias da Sa & uacute;de, , Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct databases, using the descriptors Breastfeeding, Milk Human, Infection Control, Infection Control and Premature Newborn, concatenated with the search operators "AND" and "OR". The Rayyan digital tool was used to organize the study selection stages. A total of 490 studies were identified in the search, of which seven were selected. All studies were published in English between 2018 and 2022. Regarding design, three were case-control studies, one was a cohort, one was cross-sectional, and two were clinical trials. Regarding the level of evidence, studies classified as level IV predominated. Conclusion: human breast milk has the power to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and cytomegalovirus, reduce the worsening of inflammatory states and late-onset sepsis, prevent diseases, encourage the physical and cognitive development of premature newborns.