Final answer:
Minimum enteral feeds in preterm neonates aim to reduce gut atrophy, improve feeding tolerance, and establish important intestinal flora. They do not increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis; rather, they are associated with a reduced risk.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that does NOT describe the use of minimum enteral feeds in preterm neonates is: Increases the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. In fact, minimum enteral nutrition, also known as trophic feeding, is often commenced as soon as medically feasible for preterm infants to provide the benefits of reducing gut atrophy, improving feeding tolerance, and assisting the infant in reaching full enteral feeds more quickly.
Discussing the adjustments a newborn must make at birth, it's important to understand that the first consumption of breast milk or formula introduces beneficial bacteria into the previously sterile neonatal gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria are critical for aiding digestion and providing protection against pathogens. The principle behind minimum enteral nutrition is to help establish this important intestinal flora in preterm infants, who often do not immediately receive full feeding volumes due to their immature digestive systems.
Additionally, it should be noted that early enteral feeding is associated with reduced rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), contrary to the incorrect option listed suggesting an increased risk.