WordNet
n. an acute inflammatory disease occurring in the intestines of premature infants; necrosis of intestinal tissue may follow [syn: NEC]
Wikipedia
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a medical condition primarily seen in premature infants, where portions of the bowel undergo necrosis (tissue death). It occurs postnatally (i.e. it is not seen in stillborn infants) and is the second most common cause of morbidity in premature infants, causing 355 deaths per year in the United States in 2013, down from 484 in 2009. Rates per 100,000 live births were almost three times higher for blacks than for whites.
Usage examples of "necrotizing enterocolitis".
Breast-fed babies acquire stronger immune defenses and are less susceptible to numerous diseases, including diarrhea, ear infections, early-age-onset diabetes, influenza, necrotizing enterocolitis, and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).