Prolacta Bioscience Announces In-Vitro Study Results On Effects Of Human Milk Fortifiers For Premature Infants
The study focused exclusively on milk samples from mothers supplying milk for their premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The importance of the experiment was considerable, since breast milk alone is not sufficient to meet the higher nutritional needs of babies born significantly preterm. As such, human milk fortifiers are routinely used in the NICU to provide the added nutritional content needed by premature infants. The standard of care has been to use cow milk-derived human milk fortifiers. Prolacta is the first and only company to offer a commercially available human-derived human milk fortifier.
While not all bovine fortifiers have a negative effect on mother's milk antibacterial activity, current data indicates that human milk has benefits specific to infants in the NICU, particularly related to decreased incidences of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The results of the experiment showed that human milk inhibited the growth of all of the test bacteria. The results also showed the following:
1 - This antibacterial activity was almost totally absent with the addition of the cow milk protein-based human milk fortifier.
2 - The antibacterial activity remained intact with the addition of the human breast milk-based fortifier.
To conduct the experiment, human milk samples were obtained from 10 lactating mothers who delivered prematurely, after the first week of their infant's life. A bovine milk-based powdered fortifier and a human breast milk-based frozen fortifier were evaluated. All mothers were healthy and they were not on any medications, although they were taking prenatal vitamins during lactation.
"This study proves what most experts have known for some time," said Scott Elster, CEO of Prolacta Bioscience. "Human breast milk is far superior to any other food that can be given to an infant. In the case of premature infants, human milk-derived fortifier is a better option since it delivers only native human proteins and fats."
Breast milk has been shown in clinical research studies to help babies resist infections and decrease the incidence of serious diseases, such as NEC, sepsis, bacterial meningitis, and ear infections. The antibodies found in breast milk, as well as other human protective molecules are not present in other forms of milk, such as cow milk.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) http://www.who.int, breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. WHO also believes that breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects infants against infectious and chronic diseases. WHO also points to studies that indicate that exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea or pneumonia, and helps for a quicker recovery during illness (see here). (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)
Annually, about 62,000 babies in the United States are born very low birth weight, and nationwide, approximately 500,000 babies are born prematurely each year, which is equal to nearly 12% of all U.S. births. The rate of preterm birth has increased almost 35 percent between 1981 and 2005 (9.4 to 12.7 percent). Most babies that use Prolacta products are born weighing less than three pounds, five ounces (1,500 grams). These infants are considered very low birth weight, and are at substantial risk of serious health problems, lasting disabilities, and even death.
Prolacta is unique in its specialty of the nutritional needs for underweight, premature, and critically ill babies, focused on the first 30 days of life. As a result, the company understands the vital nutritional requirements in the NICU. Prolacta's products are all made from donor human breast milk. The products are formulated to meet specific criteria as prescribed by neonatologists, which standardizes their products with precise calories, nutrients, and proteins.
About Prolacta
Prolacta Bioscience is a life sciences company that is dedicated to improving quality of life by Advancing the Science of Human MilkTM. Prolacta creates specialty preparations made from human milk, therefore containing purely human protein, for the nutritional needs of premature and critically ill infants in NICUs. The company is the sole provider of a human milk fortifier made from 100% human milk, ProlactPlus H2MF. Prolacta operates a pharmaceutical grade processing plant and has designed and patented processes unique to the science of human milk. Prolacta is committed to supporting research in the areas of human milk and premature infant nutrition in order to assist health care professionals in providing the best possible care for the most fragile babies.
Prolacta Bioscience
Prolacta BioScience anunta in-vitro studiu privind efectele rezultate din laptele uman Fortifiers pentru nou-nãscuþi prematur - Prolacta Bioscience Announces In-Vitro Study Results On Effects Of Human Milk Fortifiers For Premature Infants - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate