Breastfeeding News and Research

Latest Breastfeeding News and Research

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': On abortion rights, Ohio is the new Kansas

Ohio voters — in a rare August election — turned out in unexpectedly high numbers to defeat a ballot measure that would have made it harder to pass an abortion-rights constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.

10 Aug 2023

Breastmilk sugars may help prevent prenatal infections

Breastfeeding has long been used as a method to help keep newborns healthy and protected against a variety of diseases. But certain sugars naturally found in breastmilk could also help prevent infections before a baby arrives.

9 Aug 2023

Breastfeeding rates in Wales increased during the pandemic, study reveals

A Swansea University-led study revealed breastfeeding rates in Wales increased during the pandemic.

7 Aug 2023

Managing inflammatory bowel disease during pregnancy

Researchers presented information on scientific evidence-based inflammatory bowel disease management methods during pregnancy.

7 Aug 2023

Cancer's silent progression: research delves into evolutionary clues in breast cancer

Researchers performed phylogenetic analyses to trace the evolution of breast cancer and precursor lesions.

2 Aug 2023

Survey highlights substantial gaps in knowledge about maternal health

Most people know it isn't safe to smoke or drink alcohol while pregnant, and most know that how well a pregnant person takes care of their health affects the health of their baby.

1 Aug 2023

Micronutrient in breast milk boosts brain development in newborns

A new study by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University suggests that a micronutrient in human breast milk provides significant benefit to the developing brains of newborns, a finding that further illuminates the link between nutrition and brain health and could help improve infant formulas used in circumstances when breastfeeding isn't possible.

28 Jul 2023

Early life food allergy associated with increased risk of asthma and reduced lung growth

Having a food allergy as a baby is linked to asthma and reduced lung function later in childhood, according to a world first study.

25 Jul 2023

Breastfeeding linked to reduced post-perinatal infant mortality

Among nearly 10 million US infants born between 2016 and 2018, breastfed babies were 33% less likely to die during the post-perinatal period (day 7−364) than infants who were not breastfed, reports a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier.

24 Jul 2023

HIV-positive people with low-level viral load pose ‘almost zero’ risk to sexual partners

People living with HIV who maintain low – but still detectible – levels of the virus and adhere to their antiretroviral regimen have almost zero risk of transmitting it to their sexual partners, according to an analysis published in The Lancet.

23 Jul 2023

Breast milk antibodies vary widely among mothers

Breast milk from each individual contains a unique assemblage of antibodies that are surprisingly stable throughout lactation and across pregnancies, according to a new Journal of Experimental Medicine study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

18 Jul 2023

Are antidrug antibodies reducing the effectiveness of rheumatoid arthritis treatment?

Researchers examined the association between antidrug antibodies and the response to treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

17 Jul 2023

Early life gut flora may play a role in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

More than ten years before being diagnosed with child rheumatism, children who developed the disease had a gut flora differing in several ways from that of children who remained healthy.

5 Jul 2023

Education and community exposure can increase breastfeeding rates in rural areas, study finds

While formula-feeding babies is a safe and convenient option, research studies have shown natural breastfeeding is linked to numerous health benefits for both mother and child.

3 Jul 2023

Infant formula shortage led to an increase in unsafe feeding methods

Nearly half of parents who relied on formula to feed their babies during the infant formula shortage last year resorted to potentially harmful feeding methods, according to a survey from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study was published in the journal BMC Pediatrics.

27 Jun 2023

Women with higher maternal BMI have shorter breastfeeding duration, finds study

Breastfeeding has significant benefits for both maternal and child health. Research has indicated that women with higher body mass index (BMI) have shorter durations of breastfeeding, but few underlying mechanisms have been identified.

23 Jun 2023

Study challenges link between added sugar intake and prediabetes risk

Researchers evaluate the association between total added sugar intake and prediabetes risk.

22 Jun 2023

Excessive concern about infant allergies in high-income countries could undermine breastfeeding in India

A review in Clinical & Experimental Allergy highlights a problematic relationship between the infant formula industry and allergy health professionals.

21 Jun 2023

Parenthood takes a toll on waistlines: Study reveals impact of diet and activity on postpartum weight changes

Research examines the changes in diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior among primiparous couples during and after pregnancy and their association with changes in BMI. It aims to gain insights into the behaviors and their impact on body weight during the transition to parenthood.

21 Jun 2023