Predictors of time to full enteral feeding in low birth weight neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit: a prospective follow up study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the time to full enteral feeding and its predictors in low birth weight neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in selected hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Earlier achievement of full enteral feeding in extremely low birth weight neonates is not associated with growth improvement in the first 2 years of life.

This study compared the Z scores in growth over time of two cohorts of extremely low birth weight neonates, comparable on maternal, neonatal and hospitalization characteristics, but differed in enteral feeding strategy during admission.