Realizing benefits of probiotics in neonatal intensive care unit requires high-quality products, say pediatricians

“Do no harm” is a guiding principle for medical interventions—and especially for vulnerable populations such as preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). So while compelling data suggest that certain probiotics reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and mortality for preterm infants, some medical professionals are hesitant to recommend this intervention because they do not completely trust the safety of probiotic products.