The evidence for the benefits from breast milk in the neurodevelopment of premature babies – a review of the recent literature

Authors

Danuta Iulia Paduraru, Manzanares Health Center, Ciudad Real, EspañaFollow

Abstract

Introduction. The brain in preterm babies is usually not fully developed and therefore early post-term events can have long-lasting neurodevelopment and cognitive outcomes. It is known that cerebral white matter connectivity is important for later intact cognitive functioning amongst children born very preterm and that breast milk imparts neurotrophic factors. The relationship between breastfeeding and child development is a long and well-studied area, and the evidence in support of breast milk is already substantial. Here we review the recent literature on the topic to establish whether additional evidence is available to strengthen the view that breast milk is superior in maximizing neurological development in premature infants. Materials and Methods. A search was undertaken of PubMed, limited to the last 10 years and humans. No language restrictions were imposed. Results. The search yielded 45 articles, of which 12 included all three elements of breast milk, neurological/cognitive development and preterm babies; 10 were reviewed. The gestation period and birth weight (either or both were reported) ranged from 23 to 36 weeks and from 580g to

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Recommended Citation

Paduraru, Danuta Iulia (2018) "The evidence for the benefits from breast milk in the neurodevelopment of premature babies – a review of the recent literature," Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22543/7674.52.P151157
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/jmms/vol5/iss2/2