Background and aims Compared with term infants, late preterm infants have higher risks for morbidities such as respiratory distress, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia and feeding difficulty. The aim of this study to investigate incidence and clinical characteristics of feeding difficulty in late preterm infants.

Methods A total of 426 infants were enrolled. We evaluated the clinical and demographic characteristics and feeding difficulty of late preterm infants.

Results 54 infants had feeding difficulty. There were no differences in gestational age and birth weight among the groups. Mean intolerance day was 2.3 ± 1.2 days. Compared infants with feeding intolerance and non-feeding intolerance full enteral feeding time 8 ± 2.3 days and 5.2 ± 1.7 days, respectively (p < 0.001). Feeding with breast milk rates was similar between the groups. Prokinetic use in the feeding intolerance group was 46% (n = 25). Subgroup analysis between prokinetic users and non-users there were no differences in full enteral feeding time and duration of parenteral nutrition.

Conclusions Late preterm infants should be followed closely for the complications such as feeding difficulty.