In a 2012 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended feeding preterm infants human milk, finding "significant short- and long-term beneficial effects," including lower rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).[130] It is unclear if fortification of breast milk improves outcomes in preterm babies, though it may speed growth.[131] There is limited evidence to support prescribing a preterm formula for the preterm babies after hospital discharge.[132]