University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, 39216, USA.
J Perinatol. 2022 Aug;42(8):987-992. doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01354-0. Epub 2022 Feb 24.
Sexual dimorphism of the fetus manifests itself even during pregnancy. Preterm births are more common in pregnancies with male fetuses. Intrauterine and postnatal growth nomograms are sex-specific. The human milk composition in term infants appears to be sex-specific. Early nutrition has sex-specific effects and neurodevelopmental outcomes. A large same-sex twin study suggests that a mother's own milk (MOM) provides sex-specific growth advantages probably related to the calibration of a mother's milk based on her newborn's sex. Formula composition does not vary with infant sex, which may be one reason why body composition data favors the use of MOM over formula. However, given the lack of data on this subject, we need more detailed information on how the sex-specific micronutrients in MOM influence infant well-being. We also need more information to ascertain the sex differences in infants' macronutrient requirements, such as whether preterm females have higher fat requirements and preterm males have higher protein requirements for optimal growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This information may also influence milk banking and the use of donor human milk (DBM). Further research may help us determine if we should provide sex-specific DBM to those preterm infants who cannot get their MOM.
胎儿的性别二态性甚至在怀孕期间就表现出来了。男性胎儿的妊娠中早产更为常见。宫内和产后生长的生长曲线是有性别的。足月婴儿的人乳成分似乎也是有性别的。早期营养有性别特异性的影响和神经发育结果。一项大型同性双胞胎研究表明，母亲自己的奶（MOM）提供了性别特异性的生长优势，这可能与母亲的奶根据新生儿的性别进行校准有关。配方奶的成分不随婴儿的性别而变化，这可能是为什么体成分数据倾向于使用 MOM 而不是配方奶的原因之一。然而，鉴于这方面的数据缺乏，我们需要更多关于 MOM 中特定于性别的微量营养素如何影响婴儿健康的详细信息。我们还需要更多的信息来确定婴儿宏量营养素需求的性别差异，例如，早产儿女性是否需要更高的脂肪需求，早产儿男性是否需要更高的蛋白质需求以获得最佳的生长和神经发育结果。这些信息也可能会影响母乳库和使用捐赠人乳（DBM）。进一步的研究可能有助于我们确定是否应该为那些无法获得 MOM 的早产儿提供特定于性别的 DBM。
