TN SJR0812

Designates May 17 as Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Awareness Day in Tennessee

NEC is the most common cause of death in hospitalized premature infants after two weeks of age, with thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths annually

The condition results in approximately $5 billion in annual hospitalization expenses nationally, with each surgical NEC case costing an estimated $200,000 or more

Breast milk and pasteurized donor human milk are identified as the most effective prevention methods for at-risk infants, while formula does not protect against NEC

Black infants are disproportionately affected by and die from NEC compared to white infants due to disparities and variation in care