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Human milk, breastfeeding, and early neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants with critical CHD

Kristin M Elgersma1, Melissa L Engel2, Sara E Ramel2

  • 1School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Cardiology in the Young
|May 13, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Direct breastfeeding significantly improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with critical congenital heart disease (CHD). This highlights the importance of human milk for infant brain development, even in complex medical conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Neonatology
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

  • Human milk is known to benefit neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
  • The impact of human milk and breastfeeding on neurodevelopment in infants with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for optimizing care for this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the associations between human milk/direct breastfeeding and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 1-year and 2-year follow-up in infants with critical CHD.
  • To describe feeding patterns (maternal milk, donor milk, formula) during hospitalization in the first year of life for infants with critical CHD.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of infants undergoing surgery for critical CHD before 6 months of age.
  • Neurodevelopment assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development-IV at 1-year and 2-year follow-up.
  • Adjusted linear regression models analyzed associations between exclusive human milk or direct breastfeeding and neurodevelopmental scores, controlling for demographic and clinical factors.

Main Results:

  • Infants who directly breastfed showed significantly higher cognition (13.18 points), language (14.04 points), and motor scores (15.80 points) at 1-year follow-up.
  • Infants fed exclusive human milk trended towards higher cognition scores (12.64 points), though not statistically significant (p=0.059).
  • Follow-up rates varied, with demographic and social factors influencing participation.

Conclusions:

  • Direct breastfeeding is associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with critical CHD.
  • Further research into nutrition's role in neurodevelopment for critical CHD is warranted.
  • Addressing disparities in access to neurodevelopmental follow-up care is essential for this population.

Keywords:
Heart defectsbreast feedingcongenitalhumanmilkneurodevelopmentnutrition

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