Breastfeeding News and Research

Latest Breastfeeding News and Research

Impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and breastfed infants

Pregnant women are among those at high risk of developing COVID-19, as confirmed in Wuhan early in the pandemic. A new study from Portugal published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 analyses the data on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and disease outcomes, using published cases of pregnant women diagnosed with the illness.

4 May 2020

Breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of maternal postpartum diabetes

A team of South Korean researchers found that lactation can lower the incidence and reduce the risk of maternal postpartum diabetes.

29 Apr 2020

Born into a pandemic: Virus complicates births for moms and babies

Mallory Pease's contractions grew stronger as her husband, Mitchell, drove her to Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall, Michigan, to give birth to their second child. It had been a routine pregnancy, but she told her doctor she'd recently developed a sore throat, aches, coughing and shortness of breath — symptoms her provider knew could indicate COVID-19.

24 Apr 2020

The benefits of breastfeeding during COVID-19 crisis

While the current coronavirus pandemic continues to affect all people, families will still give birth and bring new life into the world.

16 Apr 2020

Breastmilk influences accumulation of viruses in the infant gut

Even small amounts of breastmilk strongly influences the accumulation of viral populations in the infant gut and provides a protective effect against potentially pathogenic viruses, according to researchers who examined hundreds of babies in a study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

15 Apr 2020

Should infants be separated from coronavirus infected mothers?

Since the novel coronavirus infection emerged a couple of months ago, guidelines about its treatment and precautionary measures are still evolving based on evidence and research. For mothers and infants, there is contradicting information on whether they should be kept together or separated for fear of transmission.

13 Apr 2020

Milk allergy - is it overdiagnosed?

A new review published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020 raises the concern that there may be a significant overdiagnosis of cow's milk allergy in babies and young children, stemming from the use of current medical recommendations.

13 Apr 2020

Milk allergy guidelines may be linked to overdiagnosis in babies and children

Current medical guidelines for diagnosing cow's milk allergy in babies and young children may be linked to overdiagnosis of the condition.

13 Apr 2020

Risks and benefits of separating infants from COVID-19-positive mothers

In a new commentary, Alison Stuebe, MD, President of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, addresses the risks and benefits of separating infants from COVID-19-positive mothers following birth.

12 Apr 2020

Study quantifies economic burden of CVD in women with a history of preterm delivery

A new study quantifies the future economic burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women with a history of preterm delivery.

30 Mar 2020

New studies investigate role of COVID-19 in breast milk and pregnancy

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine are launching a pair of studies to answer critical questions regarding the roles COVID-19 may play in breast milk and pregnancy.

26 Mar 2020

Who should stay at home due to coronavirus?

COVID-19 is a spreading viral illness, mostly mild but fatal in the sick and elderly. At present, it has affected almost 200,000 people, with nearly 8,000 deaths worldwide. Governments around the world are formulating and executing new guidelines to control the spread of the virus. In the latest guidelines, pregnant women join the list of individuals who must stay away from all social contact for 12 weeks to limit the spread of the virus and deaths due to the illness.

17 Mar 2020

Study examines e-cigarette use by women during preconception and/or pregnancy

A new study of 1,365 racially/ethnically diverse, low-income pregnant women found that 4% reported e-cigarette use.

16 Mar 2020

Breast milk may help protect preemies from developing sepsis

A component of breast milk may help protect premature babies from developing sepsis, a fast-moving, life-threatening condition triggered by infection.

16 Mar 2020

Newer antiretroviral drugs may be the safest, most effective HIV treatment during pregnancy

The antiretroviral drugs dolutegravir and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (DTG+FTC/TAF) may comprise the safest and most effective HIV treatment regimen currently available during pregnancy, researchers announced today.

11 Mar 2020

New guide aims to help doctors ease moms through first week of breastfeeding

A new guide seeks to ensure healthcare providers are ready to help new mothers with the challenging first week of breastfeeding – and to address gaps in knowledge and support created in previous decades when breastfeeding was far less common.

11 Mar 2020

Knowing opioid use following cesarean delivery can inform individualized prescriptions

Knowing the amount of opioids taken following cesarean section surgery and before discharge can inform individualized prescriptions and cut down on unnecessary, leftover pills that could be used for non-medical purposes, according to a new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

9 Mar 2020

PrEP drug levels found to lower among pregnant African adolescent girls and young women

Among African adolescent girls and young women who took HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) daily, levels of the PrEP drug tenofovir were more than 30% lower in those who were pregnant than in those who had recently given birth.

9 Mar 2020

Paid maternity leave associated with mental and physical health benefits for mothers, children

Paid maternity leave has major mental and physical health benefits for mothers and children - including reduced rates of postpartum depression and infant mortality, according to a report in the March/April issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

9 Mar 2020

Rotavirus vaccination not linked to type 1 diabetes mellitus risk

Rotavirus infection is thought to be a risk factor for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The role played by live attenuated rotavirus vaccination in the risk of this condition in children is, therefore, an area of active research. A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in March 2020 debunks this concern.

9 Mar 2020