Fact-based nutrition for infants and lactating mothers-The NUTRISHIELD study

Area of Science:

• Human milk composition and infant development
• Maternal-infant health and microbiome research
• Nutritional science and pediatrics

Background:

• Human milk (HM) is the optimal infant nutrition, but its composition varies.
• Pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) is a viable alternative when own mother's milk (OMM) is insufficient for preterm infants.
• The NUTRISHIELD study investigates HM composition and infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare weight gain per month in preterm and term infants receiving OMM versus DHM.
• To evaluate how diet, lifestyle, stress, and pasteurization affect HM composition.
• To understand HM's influence on infant growth, health, and neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

• Prospective mother-infant birth cohort study in the Spanish-Mediterranean area.
• Inclusion of preterm infants (<32 weeks gestation) on OMM or DHM, and term infants on OMM.
• Collection of biological samples, nutritional, clinical, anthropometric, and psychosocial data at six time points up to 6 months postpartum.

Main Results:

• Characterization of genotype, metabolome, microbiota, and HM composition.
• Benchmarking of portable sensor prototypes for HM and urine analysis.
• Assessment of maternal psychosocial status, postpartum bonding, parental stress, and infant neurodevelopment.

Conclusions:

• The NUTRISHIELD study offers a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of the mother-infant-microbiota triad.
• Findings will inform a machine-learning algorithm for personalized dietary advice to lactating mothers.
• Improved understanding of HM composition factors and infant health implications will enhance infant nutrition strategies.