Sunday, April 26, 2026  ^•  6:00am - 7:00am • The Westin Boston Seaport District: Marina Ballroom 1 & 2 (Lobby Level- Harbor Side)

Title

Exclusive Human Milk Diet (EHMD) in the NICU: Associations with Motor Function at 3 Years

Overview

Dr. Chou will describe the human evidence linking human milk to neurodevelopmental outcomes and summarize his research on the association between an exclusive human milk diet and 3-year motor function outcomes in a multicenter study of more than 1,000 preterm infants. The session will also address the limitations of the current research, discuss plausible biological mechanisms, with a focus on the role of human milk fat, and identify areas for future clinical research and mechanistic studies. A moderated Q&A session will explore the implications for donor-milk products, clinical practice, and research design.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the human evidence linking human milk to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
2. Summarize the association between an exclusive human milk diet and 3-year motor function outcomes in a multicenter experience.
3. Elucidate plausible biological mechanisms by which human milk fat and its constituents may influence brain development, including myelination, synaptogenesis, and gut–brain interactions.