What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)?
Beasley Allen is filing lawsuits for families whose premature babies developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after being fed cow’s milkbased baby formulas, including Enfamil® and Similac®. These cases claim that formula manufacturers failed to properly warn doctors and parents about the known risk of NEC in premature infants.
NEC is a fastmoving and often deadly intestinal disease that can strike within weeks of birth. Many families say they were never told that formula feeding could increase the risk of this serious condition in fragile newborns.
NEC baby formula lawsuits are now grouped together in MDL No. 3026 in the Northern District of Illinois. As of March 2026, there are about 779 active cases pending in federal court. Bellwether trials are ongoing, with more scheduled into 2026, and new cases continue to be filed across the country.
The Connection Between Baby Formula and NEC
Necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, is a serious intestinal disease that mostly affects premature and lowbirthweight babies. It causes inflammation and damage to the intestines and can lead to infection, bowel perforation, emergency surgery, or death.
Each year in the United States, about 480,000 babies are born prematurely, and an estimated 9,000 develop NEC. The risk is highest in babies weighing under 3.3 pounds, where studies show up to 10–12% may be affected. About 30% of babies with NEC require surgery, and 20–30% of cases are fatal. Survivors may face longterm problems such as feeding difficulties, short bowel syndrome, and developmental delays.
Affected Products
For more than 30 years, medical studies have shown that premature babies fed cow’s milkbased formula are at a much higher risk of developing NEC than those fed human breast milk or donor milk.
Research highlights include:
- A review of multiple studies showing a more than threetimes higher risk of NEC in formulafed preemies
- Hospital studies showing donor breast milk greatly lowers NEC risk in extremely premature infants
- Public health guidance recognizing human milk as protective against NEC
Despite this research, Enfamil and Similac products do not include NEC warnings for premature infants.
Know the Signs: Types and Symptoms of NEC
NEC can appear in several forms, including:
- Classic NEC, usually developing 3–6 weeks after birth
- Transfusionassociated NEC, occurring after blood transfusions
- Atypical NEC, which may appear before regular feeding begins
- Term infant NEC, affecting fullterm babies with other health problems
Common warning signs include a swollen or tender belly, feeding problems, vomiting, lethargy, unstable heart rate or blood pressure, and poor weight gain. Symptoms can appear suddenly and worsen quickly.
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