A Review of Bioactive Factors in Human Breastmilk: A Focus on Prematurity

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Nutrition
• Human Milk Composition
• Bioactive Factors

Background:

• Preterm birth is a significant global health concern, with prematurity being a leading cause of mortality in young children.
• Premature infants face increased risks of perinatal and long-term health issues.
• Human milk is the optimal nutrition for newborns, containing dynamic bioactive factors influenced by maternal and lactation variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on specific bioactive factors in human milk: antioxidants, growth factors, adipokines, and cytokines.
• To focus on the role and levels of these factors in the context of prematurity.
• To identify gaps in research regarding human milk bioactive factors and preterm infant nutrition.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of existing studies on human milk composition.
• Analysis of bioactive factor levels in relation to lactation stage, maternal factors, and infant prematurity.
• Comparison of bioactive factor content across colostrum, mature milk, preterm milk, full-term milk, formula, and donor milk.

Main Results:

• Bioactive factors are most concentrated in colostrum, decreasing over lactation.
• Human milk for preterm infants contains higher levels of these bioactive factors compared to milk for full-term infants.
• Formula milk lacks these essential bioactive factors, and donor milk shows reduced levels.

Conclusions:

• Human milk, particularly from mothers of preterm infants, is a superior source of critical bioactive factors compared to alternatives.
• Understanding these compositional differences is vital for supporting preterm infants, many of whom cannot be breastfed exclusively.
• Further research is necessary to inform the development of specialized infant supplements that mimic the benefits of preterm human milk.