Breast milk provides many benefits for babies. And now researchers say mother's milk contains an antibody that protects premature infants from an often-deadly intestinal bacterial disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies protect against this disease. And preterm infants get IgA from their mother's breast milk during the first weeks of life, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh explained.
IgA antibodies bind to bacteria in the gut. The more bacteria that's bound with IgA, the less likely babies are to develop NEC, this study found.
"It's been well-known for a decade that babies who get NEC have particular bacteria -- Enterobacteriaceae -- in their guts, but what we found is that it's not how much Enterobacteriaceae there is, but whether it's bound to IgA that matters. And that's potentially actionable," said study senior author Timothy Hand. He's an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Pitt's School of Medicine.
The researchers analyzed fecal samples from 30 preterm infants with NEC and 39 without NEC. Breast-fed babies had more IgA-bound gut bacteria -- a good thing -- than formula-fed babies. Infants who developed NEC were more likely to have been formula-fed.
Among babies without NEC, Enterobacteriaceae was largely tied up by IgA, allowing diverse types of bacteria to flourish. But among infants with NEC, IgA-unbound Enterobacteriaceae dominated in the days before the disease was diagnosed, according to the researchers.
The study was
ed June 17 in the journal Nature Medicine.
As part of their research, the team bred mice that couldn't produce IgA in their breast milk. Pups that received IgA-free milk from their mothers were just as susceptible to NEC as those that were fed formula.
However, preventing NEC may not be as simple as adding IgA to infant formula, Hand said.
He noted that breast milk provides other benefits beyond IgA, so donor milk is the best choice if breastfeeding or pumped breast milk isn't an option.
"What we showed is that IgA is necessary but may not be sufficient to prevent NEC," Hand said in a university news release. "What we're arguing is that you might want to test the antibody content of donor milk and then target the most protective milk to the most at-risk infants."
IgA antibodies bind to bacteria in the gut. The more bacteria that's bound with IgA, the less likely babies are to develop NEC, this study found.
"It's been well-known for a decade that babies who get NEC have particular bacteria -- Enterobacteriaceae -- in their guts, but what we found is that it's not how much Enterobacteriaceae there is, but whether it's bound to IgA that matters. And that's potentially actionable," said study senior author Timothy Hand. He's an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Pitt's School of Medicine.
The researchers analyzed fecal samples from 30 preterm infants with NEC and 39 without NEC. Breast-fed babies had more IgA-bound gut bacteria -- a good thing -- than formula-fed babies. Infants who developed NEC were more likely to have been formula-fed.
Among babies without NEC, Enterobacteriaceae was largely tied up by IgA, allowing diverse types of bacteria to flourish. But among infants with NEC, IgA-unbound Enterobacteriaceae dominated in the days before the disease was diagnosed, according to the researchers.
The study was
ed June 17 in the journal Nature Medicine.
As part of their research, the team bred mice that couldn't produce IgA in their breast milk. Pups that received IgA-free milk from their mothers were just as susceptible to NEC as those that were fed formula.
However, preventing NEC may not be as simple as adding IgA to infant formula, Hand said.
He noted that breast milk provides other benefits beyond IgA, so donor milk is the best choice if breastfeeding or pumped breast milk isn't an option.
"What we showed is that IgA is necessary but may not be sufficient to prevent NEC," Hand said in a university news release. "What we're arguing is that you might want to test the antibody content of donor milk and then target the most protective milk to the most at-risk infants."
11 Benefits of Breastfeeding for Both Mom and Baby
ReplyDeleteBreast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies.
It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested and readily available.
However, the rate of breastfeeding is as low as 30% in some groups of women (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
While some women are unable to breastfeed, others simply choose not to.
Yet studies show breastfeeding has major health benefits, for both the mother and her baby.
Here are 11 science-based benefits of breastfeeding.
Benefits 1–5 are for babies, but 6–11 are for mothers.
1. Breast Milk Provides Ideal Nutrition for Babies
DeleteMost health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months.
Continued breastfeeding is then recommended for at least one year, as different foods are introduced into the baby's diet
Breast milk contains everything the baby needs for the first six months of life, in all the right proportions. Its composition even changes according to the baby's changing needs, especially during the first month of life
During the first days after birth, the breasts produce a thick and yellowish fluid called colostrum. It's high in protein, low in sugar and loaded with beneficial compounds
Colostrum is the ideal first milk and helps the newborn's immature digestive tract develop. After the first few days, the breasts start producing larger amounts of milk as the baby's stomach grows.
About the only thing that may be lacking from breast milk is vitamin D. Unless the mother has a very high intake, her breast milk will not provide enough
To compensate for this deficiency, vitamin D drops are usually recommended from the age of 2–4 weeks
2. Breast Milk Contains Important Antibodies
DeleteBreast milk is loaded with antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.
This particularly applies to colostrum, the first milk.
Colostrum provides high amounts of immunoglobulin A (IgA), as well as several other antibodies
When the mother is exposed to viruses or bacteria, she starts producing antibodies.
These antibodies are then secreted into the breast milk and passed to the baby during feeding
IgA protects the baby from getting sick by forming a protective layer in the baby's nose, throat and digestive system
For this reason, breastfeeding mothers with the flu may actually provide their babies with antibodies that help them fight the pathogen that is causing the sickness.
Nonetheless, if you are ill, you should always practice strict hygiene. Wash your hands often and try to avoid infecting your baby.
Formula doesn't provide antibody protection for babies. Numerous studies show that babies who are not breastfed are more vulnerable to health issues like pneumonia, diarrhea and infection
Breastfeeding May Reduce Disease Risk
DeleteBreastfeeding has an impressive list of health benefits. This is particularly true of exclusiveTrusted Source breastfeeding, meaning that the infant receives only breast milk.
It may reduce your baby's risk of many illnesses and diseases, including:
Middle ear infections: 3 or more months of exclusive breastfeeding may reduce the risk by 50%, while any breastfeeding may reduce it by 23%
Respiratory tract infections: Exclusive breastfeeding for more than 4 months reduces the risk of hospitalization for these infections by up to 72%
Colds and infections: Babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months may have up to a 63% lower risk of getting serious colds and ear or throat infections
Gut infections: Breastfeeding is linked with a 64% reduction in gut infections, seen for up to 2 months after breastfeeding stops
Intestinal tissue damage: Feeding preterm babies breast milk is linked with around a 60% reduction in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): Breastfeeding is linked to a 50% reduced risk after 1 month, and a 36% reduced risk in the first year
Allergic diseases: Exclusive breastfeeding for at least 3–4 months is linked with a 27–42% reduced risk of asthma, atopic dermatitis and eczema
Celiac disease: Babies who are breastfed at the time of first gluten exposure have a 52% lower risk of developing celiac disease
Inflammatory bowel disease: Babies who are breastfed may be roughly 30% less likely to develop childhood inflammatory bowel disease
Diabetes: Breastfeeding for at least 3 months is linked to a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes (up to 30%) and type 2 diabetes (up to 40%)
Childhood leukemia: Breastfeeding for 6 months or longer is linked with a 15–20% reduction in the risk of childhood leukemia
In addition to reducing the risk of many infections, breastfeeding has also been shown to significantly reduce their severity
Furthermore, the protective effects of breastfeeding seem to last throughout childhood and even adulthood.