Breastfeeding can boost brain development in premature babies
Sunday, September 23, 2018 IST
Preterm babies who are born before their due date show better brain development when fed breast milk rather than formula milk, says a new study.
Breast milk sure has a lot of health benefits for babies. According to a new research, babies born before their due date show better brain development when fed breast milk rather than formula milk. Premature birth has been linked to an increased possibility of problems with learning and thinking skills in later life, which are thought to be linked to alterations in brain development. Experts say that helping mothers to provide breast milk in the weeks after giving birth could improve long-term outcomes for children born pre-term.
Studies have shown that pre-term birth is associated with changes in the part of the brain’s structure that helps brain cells to communicate with one another, known as white matter. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied MRI brain scans from 47 babies from a study group known as the Theirworld Edinburgh Birth Cohort.
The babies had been born before 33 weeks gestation and scans took place when they reached a term-equivalent age, an average of 40 weeks from conception. The team also collected information about how the infants had been fed while in intensive care - either formula milk or breast milk from either the mother or a donor.
Babies who exclusively received breast milk for at least three-quarters of the days they spent in the hospital showed improved brain connectivity compared with others. The effects were greatest in babies who were fed breast milk for a greater proportion of their time spent in intensive care. “Our findings suggest that brain development in the weeks after preterm birth is improved in babies who receive greater amounts of breast milk,” said study author James Boardman.
“Mothers of pre-term babies should be supported to provide breast milk while their baby is in neonatal care — if they are able to and if their baby is well enough to receive milk because this may give their children the best chance of healthy brain development,” added Boardman.
Related Topics
Related News & Articles
Researchers at Yale college have observed that the mind is capable of making fructose – a simple sugar, typically observed in fruit, greens and honey...
Recently posted . 953 views . 21 min read
When it comes to parenting, everyone seems to have an opinion, and rightfully so, especially if you are yourself a parent. But what about controversial topics? Is t...
Recently posted . 1K views . 4 min read
Blood cancer can accelerate ageing in healthy bone marrow cells, scientists have found for the first time, paving the way for anti-ageing drugs in the future.
Recently posted . 892 views . 1 min read
According to a recent research, Matthieu Ricard is the happiest man in the world. He is 66 years old, whose life took a turn when he went to India in pursue of Bu...
Recently posted . 1K views . 3 min read
The study enrolled 121 women and 84 men, who underwent PET scans to measure brain metabolism, or the flow of oxygen and glucose in their brains.
Recently posted . 1K views . 1 min read
Trending News & Articles
Lung cancer is usually not noticeable during the early stages. Most people are diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage. According to Cancer.org, it is ...
Recently posted . 8K views . 2 min read
The health benefits of wood apple include [1] relief from constipation, indigestion, peptic ulcer, piles, respiratory problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also b...
Recently posted . 5K views . 2 min read
Bael, also known as the “Wood Apple”, is a species native to India. The bael tree is considered to be sacred to the Hindus. A famous drink known as sh...
Recently posted . 5K views . 2 min read
Do you know what milia are? Milia is a skin condition which causes the appearance of small white hard bumps on the skin which usually appear on the face, neck or ch...
Recently posted . 5K views . 2 min read
More in Food & Health
You'll need to put in some effort because your health is well worth it.
Recently posted. 788 views . 0 min read
How to take care of the dry eye problem
Recently posted. 729 views . 0 min read
Food is an vital detail of all parties, so getting smart preparations right for Diwali festivities need to be a priority.
consequently these diverse cana...
Recently posted. 791 views . 13 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views . 87 min read
Recently posted . 1K views . 62 min read
Do you like canned foods such as corn, tuna, asparagus or chicken? If yes, then think twice before consuming it. A team of researchers have warned that the canned f...
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
Morning tea, afternoon tea, or even bedtime tea are my favorites! I prefer different kinds of tea for different times of the day- green tea in the morning, mint tea...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read