Development of a balanced intestinal flora is related with the mode of delivery and the diet within the first days. The newborn intestine is sterile, and diarrheal and other infections are frequent due to increased permeability, lack of secretory (s)IgA and immune experience. Flora, consisting of grampositive lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria due to vaginal birth and breast-feeding, positively contribute to the immune system and infant health. Among preterm infants, the development of healthy flora is delayed due to cesarean birth, lower chance of receiving human milk, colonizing pathogenic microorganisms of the intensive care unit, and antibiotics, and thus the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis is high. Evaluating the results of 16 studies in 2,842 preterm infants, the Cochrane metaanalysis 2011 showed that enteral probiotic supplementation decreased the incidence of severe necrotizing enterocolitis (stage 2 or more) and reduced all-cause mortality. No infection was observed with the supplemented organism.

Keywords: prematüre, nekrotizan enterokolit, probiyotik.