title: LATCH scores and milk intake in preterm and term infants: a prospective comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to detect the breastmilk intake in preterm and term infants and to determine if the LATCH scoring system (latch; audible swallowing; type of nipple; comfort [breast/nipple]; hold [positioning]) could be helpful to denote that infants have taken enough breastmilk according to their postnatal age and weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six breastfeeding sessions were monitored and scored simultaneously by using the LATCH scoring system. The weight of the 66 infants (33 preterm, 33 term) was measured before and after a breastfeeding session, and thereby milk intake by breastfeeding was determined. The expected amount of milk volume that infants should receive for each feeding session was calculated according to the postnatal age and weight. The breastmilk intake by breastfeeding was compared with LATCH scores and the expected milk volume for each feeding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that 25 term infants (75.8%) took 100% of the expected milk volume for each feeding session, compared with two preterm infants (2.1%) (p=0.009). The median LATCH scores were 7.0 (minimum-maximum=5-9) in preterm babies and 9 (minimum-maximum=7-10) in term babies (p<0.0001). Term babies could consume 95.4% of the expected milk volume for each feeding session, whereas this ratio was only 45% in preterm babies. In each group, babies receiving a score of ≥7 took at least 50% of the expected milk volume for each feeding session. In each group, higher LATCH scores were associated with higher median intake, but the minimum and maximum intake for each LATCH score revealed marked variability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High LATCH scores (7-10) may be helpful to determine that infants take at least 50% of the expected breastmilk volume for each feeding in both preterm and term infants. However, LATCH scores cannot substitute for test weights in premature infants because of variability in minimum and maximum milk intake per LATCH score.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital , Ankara, Turkey .
authors.forename: Nilgun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altuntas
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocak
authors.forename: Serpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akkurt
authors.forename: Hasan Cem
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Razi
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Kislal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*