Early breastfeeding, even if it only lasts a few days, could be instrumental in protecting a newborn's health, researchers indicate.
Preemies fed infant formula were more than twice as likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis than those fed donor human milk, researchers found.
While infant exposure to flame retardant substances is primarily through breast milk, adults also face risks from inhaling or ingesting the toxic chemicals.
Researchers call for guidelines making human milk or human milk-based infant formula the standard of care for very low birth weight newborns, to lower NEC risks
Some hormones present in breast milk and not infant formula can increase the maturation of a preterm infants' intestines, providing additional protection against necrotizing enterocolitis.
Researchers found pasteurized human milk products did not negatively affect preterm infants' gut bacteria, suggesting it does not increase the risk of NEC, which has been linked to cow's milk infant formula products.
Benefits of Breastfeeding include increased child intelligence, displayed through verbal skills and knowledge of spatial relationships
There is little known about the health effects of PFAS chemicals in breast milk, hindering researchers' ability to determine what amounts are safe.
Infant formula like Similac and Enfamil lack key nutrients which help preterm infants' intestines grow to resist necrotizing enterocolitis, the findings indicate
Lawsuit alleges Abbott Laboratories overstated quality of infant formula, claiming Similac Pro-Advance is "close" to breast milk
