Human Milk Cessation in the NICU in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective To identify factors associated with cessation of human milk prior to NICU discharge for infants diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Study Design Participants were recruited from the Johns Hopkins BPD Clinic between January 2016 and October 2018. Clinical and demographic characteristics were analyzed based on whether participants stopped human milk before or after NICU discharge. Results Of the 224 infants included, 109 (48.7%) infants stopped human milk prior to discharge. The median duration of human milk intake was less for infants who stopped prior to discharge compared to those who continued after discharge (2 vs 8 months, p<0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, pulmonary hypertension (OR: 2.90; p=0.016), public insurance (OR: 2.86; p<0.001), and length of NICU admission (OR: 1.26 per additional month; p=0.002) were associated with human milk cessation prior to NICU discharge. Conclusion Infants with BPD who have severe medical comorbidities and markers of lower socioeconomic status may be at higher risk for earlier human milk discontinuation.