Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common cause of death in hospitalized premature infants after two weeks of age;

Whereas babies born prematurely or with a medical complication, like congenital heart disease, are most at risk of NEC;

Whereas thousands of babies develop NEC each year and hundreds of babies die from this complex condition;

Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis causes a severe inflammatory process that can lead to intestinal tissue damage and death and, once NEC is diagnosed, many babies only live for a few hours or days;

Whereas surgery for NEC is not curative, and the babies who survive often have lifelong neurological and nutritional complications;

Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis results in approximately $5,000,000,000 of hospitalization expenses per year and roughly 19 percent of neonatal health care expenditures in the United States, with an estimated cost of $200,000 or more for each case of surgical necrotizing enterocolitis;

Whereas breast milk is one of the most effective ways to help prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in medically fragile infants, and when the mother’s milk is unavailable, pasteurized donor human milk is the next-safest option for babies at risk of NEC;

Whereas formula does not protect against the risk of NEC in medically fragile infants, and infants at risk of NEC receive the most protection from their mother’s own milk and pasteurized donor milk;

Whereas, although the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis cannot be fully eliminated and there are not yet sure ways to stop or cure NEC, preventative measures are effective at reducing risks;

Whereas parents must be trusted and valued as the most important member of their baby’s care team, and health care providers should partner with families to provide the best care for infants at risk of NEC;

Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis can develop in both premature babies and babies born at term, and more data are desperately needed to better understand how and why NEC occurs in preterm and term infants;

Whereas disparities and variation in care lead to Black infants being disproportionately affected by, and dying from, necrotizing enterocolitis compared to White infants; and

Whereas to build a world without necrotizing enterocolitis and improve outcomes for infants and families, we must bring Americans together to raise awareness about this devastating neonatal disease: Now, therefore, be it