الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
A prebiotic is non –digestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon that can improve host health. Criteria which allow the classification of food ingredient as a prebiotic include1) It must be neither hydrolyzed nor absorbed in the upper part of GIT. 2) Selective fermentation by potentially beneficial bacteria in the colon 3) Alteration in the composition of colonic micro biota toward a healthier composition. 4) Preferably, induce effects which are beneficial to the host health. These criteria render prebiotics helpful in prevention of NEC through promoting both trophic and protective functions of gut flora This study was designed to evaluate the effect of prebiotics on feeding of preterm infants through using formula milk enriched with prebiotics (galactooligosaccharides ). The study included 60 preterm in our NICU over period of 6 months. The studied preterm neonates were divided into 3 groups: (1) First group (20 preterm), their gestational age range from 28 week to 36 week .They received expressed breast milk(2) Second group (20 preterm), their gestational age range from 28 week to 36 week .They received formula milk non enriched with prebiotics-115- Summary(3) Third group (20 preterm), their gestational age range from 28 week to 36 week .They received milk formula containing galactooligosaccharides as prebiotic source Then they were observed for weight gain (daily), increase in recumbent length (weekly) and head circumference (weekly), evidence of feeding intolerance in (vomiting, irritability, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension, gastric residual,, excessive crying, presence of bloody diarrhea, stool frequency and stool consistency) and development of sepsis (accord to clinical, sepsis score and CRP) during NICU stay and follow up after discharge for 3 months. Our study showed that no significant difference was detected in rate of growth (weight, length and head circumference) in the prebiotics group compared to non prebiotics group and the breast milk group. Regarding feeding intolerance, our study showed that there was significant reduction in incidence of feeding intolerance in the prebiotics and breast milk groups compared to non prebiotics group. Regarding effect of prebiotics on stool frequency and consistency. It has been found that stool in preterms receiving prebiotics were softer and more frequent than preterms not receiving prebiotics and more or less simulate the breast milk fed group Regarding neonatal sepsis, our study showed that there was significant reduction in incidence of neonatal sepsis in the prebiotics and breast milk groups compared to non prebiotics group during their stay in NICU as well as after that as evident by reduction in incidence of infection during first 3 months.