Abstract

Eighty four very low birthweight babies (considered high risk for developing necrotising enterocolitis) were given vancomycin orally for 48 hours before introduction of oral feeds; one developed necrotising enterocolitis. One hundred and twenty very low birthweight babies (not considered such high risk) were fed without first receiving vancomycin; 17 developed necrotising enterocolitis. Although this was not a randomised control trial, results indicate a role for vancomycin in prophylaxis of necrotising enterocolitis.