Risk Factors for Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Prospective Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Background: The identification of independent clinical risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) may contribute to early selection of infants at risk, allowing for the development of targeted strategies aimed at the prevention of NEC.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify independent risk factors contributing to the development of NEC in a large multicenter cohort.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed in 9 neonatal intensive care units.