Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Breast Milk Helps Prevent Heart Disease in Premature Babies
Advertisement

Breast Milk Helps Prevent Heart Disease in Premature Babies

Highlights:
  • Breast milk plays a vital role in preventing heart disease in premature babies
  • Breast milk can help prevent heart disease better by strengthening the infant’s immune system, regulating hormones and growth factors, reducing inflammation and by improving the metabolism of the child

Early use of breast milk can help prevent heart disease in prematurely born infants, reveals a paper led by researchers at RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) and the Rotunda Hospital.

The review article, published in the journal Pediatric Research, was written in collaboration with researchers from Harvard Medical School, University of Oxford and University of Toronto.

Listen to this article
0:00/0:00
Advertisement


One of the long-term health complications that young adults born prematurely may have is unique heart characteristics. These can include smaller heart chambers, relatively higher blood pressure, and a disproportionate increase in muscle mass in the heart.

One study cited in the article looked at 30 preterm-born adults who were assigned to receive exclusive human milk and 16 preterm-born adults who were assigned to receive an exclusive formula-based diet during their hospital stay at birth. They then underwent detailed cardiovascular assessment between 23 and 28 years of age, including an MRI of their hearts.
Advertisement

As expected, all of the hearts of those born prematurely had smaller chambers than the hearts in people who were not born prematurely. However, the study showed that the smaller heart chambers were less profound for the exclusively human milk-fed group in comparison to those who were exclusively formula fed, suggesting a potentially protective effect of human milk for heart structure.

How Breast Milk Works in Lowering Heart Disease Risk

The researchers then identified potential reasons for why breast milk results in a lower risk of heart disease. Breast milk could help prevent heart disease by better regulating hormones and growth factors, strengthening the infant's immune system, reducing inflammation and by possibly improving the metabolism of the child.

Identifying the key components within breast milk that result in improved heart health could pave the way for a more targeted approach to improve long-term cardiovascular well-being for those born prematurely.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that premature birth results in long-term adverse cardiovascular effects with important clinical consequences. There is a distinct lack of preventative and therapeutic interventions available to alleviate those effects," said Professor Afif EL-Khuffash, Honorary Clinical Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI and Consultant Neonatologist at The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin.

"The current evidence comes from observational studies and highlights the strong link between early breast milk administrations and improvement in long-term heart health, but it lacks concrete mechanistic explanations. More studies on the composition of breast milk could make clear exactly what causes these health benefits, which could in turn lead to better treatment options."

The collaborative research group is continuing to study the effects of human milk exposure on heart function in very premature infants by using novel scans to measure heart function. They hope to demonstrate that early human milk exposure in premature infants can lead to significant improvements in heart function over the first two years of age.



Source: Eurekalert
Font : A-A+

Cite this Article   close

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Health Watch

Does Young Adults' Risk of Heart Attacks Rise After COVID-19?
Recent ICMR Study reveals that the alarming trend of myocardial infarctions in seemingly healthy individuals has not been limited to COVID-19 alone.
Pig Flu to Humans : UK Detects First Human Case of H1N2
Swine flu typically arises from influenza subtypes H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2, occasionally infecting humans through exposure to pigs or contaminated environments.
 Seasonal Affective Disorder: Chasing Away the Winter Blues
Explore the impact of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and its connection to winter. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and effective coping strategies.
How to Help an Anxious Person? What to Say and What to Avoid
Empathize with those suffering from anxiety, avoid dismissive language, and provide support.
How Does Gluten Intolerance in Celiac Disease Impact Dental Health?
Due to gluten intolerance, celiac disease chronically inflames the small intestine, impairing nutrient absorption.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Breast Milk Helps Prevent Heart Disease in Premature Babies Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests