AUTHOR=Schuler Rahel , Ehrhardt Harald , Mihatsch Walter A. 

TITLE=Safety and Parental Satisfaction With Early Discharge of Preterm Infants on Nasogastric Tube Feeding and Outpatient Clinic Follow-Up

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.00505

DOI=10.3389/fped.2020.00505

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Aim:</bold> To evaluate our early discharge program of preterm infants with nasogastric tube feeding (NTF) and close outpatient clinic follow-up with regard to safety, parent satisfaction and parental stress level.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> 119 preterm infants were discharged on NTF from our tertiary care neonatal unit (median gestational age 31.0 weeks, median birthweight 1,650 g). Parental satisfaction was evaluated by a standardized questionnaire. For safety assessment growth until term equivalent age and re-hospitalizations within 2 months after discharge were evaluated.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Infants were discharged home at a median gestational age of 35.4 weeks after a median hospital stay of 22 days. Follow up was attained in 95 of 104 parent-infant dyads. The majority of parents (94%) reported that they had made the right decision in taking their infant home on NTF. At the time of discharge 86% of parents felt very well-prepared to perform NTF. 70% Of parents rated their stress level at home as low (≤2 out of 5). There were no NTF associated readmissions and no growth faltering until term equivalent age.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Early discharge of preterm infants with NTF together with outpatient clinic follow-up is very well-accepted by parents and appears to be safe.</p>