Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: The Efficacy and Mechanisms of Oral Probiotics in Preventing Necrotizing Enterocolitis Among Very Low Birth Weight Infants With Formula-feeding
Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and its mechanisms of oral mixture probiotics in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis among the preterm very low birth weight infants.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Preterm newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care units with a birth weight 700-1500 g and who survive more than 3 days

Exclusion Criteria:

* Chromosomal anomalies.
* Major congenital anomalies (complex cardiac anomalies, congenital hydrocephalus, renal dysplasia)
* Congenital (e.g. jejunal atresia) and acquired (e.g. GI perforation) gastrointestinal pathology precluding oral feed and/or requiring major surgical or medical intervention
* Parental refusal
* Prior enrollment into a conflicting clinical trial
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Preterm infants ≦ 34 weeks gestational age and birth weight below 1500 gm and who survive to NICU are eligible for the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

* severe asphyxia (stage III),
* fetal chromosomal anomalies,
* cyanotic congenital heart disease,
* congenital intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, omphalocele, active upper gastric intestinal bleeding,
* lacking/refused of parental consent,
* those who are fasted for \>3 weeks during the study period.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant women 18 years and older who plan to breastfeed for at least 6 months
* Women who are in good health
* Women with or without diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance

Exclusion Criteria:

* Women who do not plan to breastfeed for at least 6 months
* Women who give birth to pre-term infants
* Women who smoke, either currently or 1 year before becoming pregnant
* Women who have chronic medical conditions or communicable diseases
* Women who take metabolic altering drugs such as corticosteroids or thyroid medication
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Infant's birth weight ≤1700 g.
* Infant's gestational age ≥ 27 weeks + 0 days and ≤ 32 weeks + 6 days.
* Infant is clinically stable
* Infants are eligible to start HMOs / placebo as soon as possible after birth, but still within the first 7 days of life.
* Written informed consent has been obtained from the parents/legally acceptable representative (LAR).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Parents not willing / not able to comply with the requirements of study protocol.
* Infants receiving ongoing prophylactic antifungal therapies.
* Infants experiencing early onset sepsis.
* Major congenital or chromosomal abnormality known to affect growth.
* Liver failure.
* Severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) as defined by having birth weight less than 2nd percentile on the Fenton growth chart.
* Peri-/intra-ventricular haemorrhage (grade 3-4 in Papille classification) .
* Infant in critical condition needing intubation or inotropic agents for treatment.
* Infant requiring prolonged (more than 3 doses) of steroid treatment.
* Infants' participation in another interventional clinical trial that would have significant impact on current study's results.
* Infants who have already achieved Full Enteral Feeding (FEF) prior to enrolment, using the definition accepted by neonatal unit as per standard practice (150 mL/kg/day).

Answer: B