Medical and sociodemographic characteristics related to feeding therapy referral and service provision for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

To determine the scope of feeding therapy for preterm infants in the NICU and medical and sociodemographic factors related to feeding therapy referral and service provision.

Retrospective study of infants born <37 weeks gestation in a level IV NICU between January 2017 and December 2019.

Among 547 infants, 27% of infants received a feeding therapy referral, and 74% of those referrals were problem-based referrals. Feeding therapy referrals were more likely among infants with lower gestational ages and birthweights (both p < 0.001). In addition, infants with greater medical complexity, who required oxygen at 36 weeks, who had a history of mechanical ventilation, and who had a higher postmenstrual age at discharge were more likely to be referred to feeding therapy (all p < 0.001).

While medical factors relate to feeding therapy referrals, there are other complex person and system factors that determine feeding therapy referral and service provision.