Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
04:16

Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings

Published on: February 7, 2025

The Human Milk Microbiome in Mothers of Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Systematic Review of Recent Clinical Studies

Vilma Ivanauskienė1, Aušrelė Kudrevičienė1, Vaida Aleksejūnė1

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

The mother's milk microbiome in very low birth weight infants is dominated by specific bacteria like Staphylococcus. Its composition changes over time and influences infant gut health, but links to necrotizing enterocolitis require more study.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Neonatal Health
  • Human Milk Oligosaccharides

Background:

  • Preterm birth affects 1 in 10 neonates globally, impacting infant microbiota development.
  • Human milk microbiota (HMM) composition and role in VLBW infants are not fully understood.
  • VLBW infants (<1500g) face disrupted microbiota development due to clinical factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Summarize recent evidence (2021-2025) on the maternal milk microbiome (MOM) in mothers of VLBW infants.
  • Evaluate the potential role of MOM microbiome in neonatal health.
  • Characterize HMM in VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review.
  • Searched PubMed and Google Scholar.
  • Used predefined criteria and keywords.

Main Results:

  • MOM microbiota in VLBW infants is dominated by Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Enterobacteriaceae, and Acinetobacter.
  • Lower levels of Veillonella, Clostridium sensu stricto, Pseudomonas, Haemophilus, and Bifidobacterium were observed.
  • Microbiota diversity increases over lactation; feeding type influences infant gut colonization and immune development.

Conclusions:

  • The MOM microbiome composition in VLBW infants is characterized by specific bacterial genera.
  • Microbiota diversity and feeding type impact infant gut colonization and immunity.
  • Further multi-omic research is needed to clarify mechanisms and clinical implications, especially regarding necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Keywords:
breast milkhuman milkmicrobiomemicrobiotapreterm newbornsequencing techniques

More Related Videos

A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples09:09

A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples

Published on: March 23, 2018

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers09:36

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers

Published on: July 28, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Introduction to the Human Microbiota01:22

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics01:21

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract01:29

Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract

The human respiratory tract, comprising the upper and lower segments, serves as a critical interface with the external environment. The upper respiratory tract (URT)—including the nostrils, sinuses, pharynx, and oropharynx—is heavily colonized by microbes, while the lower respiratory tract (LRT), composed of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, was long thought to be sterile. However, recent molecular studies have revealed that the lungs are not devoid of microbes but act more like...