Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Front Public Health. 2024 Jun 6;12:1408246. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1408246. eCollection 2024.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life followed by complementary foods and sustained breastfeeding for at least 2 years, underscoring its pivotal role in reducing infant mortality and preventing various illnesses. This perspective delves into the intricate relationship between breastfeeding practices, early life antibiotic exposure, and infant gut microbiome development, highlighting their profound influence on child health outcomes. Antibiotics are extensively prescribed during pregnancy and childhood, disrupting the microbiome, and are related to increased risks of allergies, obesity, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Breastfeeding is a significant determinant of a healthier gut microbiome, characterized by higher levels of beneficial bacteria such as and lower levels of potential pathogens. Despite widespread recognition of the benefits of breastfeeding, gaps persist in healthcare practices and support mechanisms, exacerbating challenges faced by breastfeeding families. This highlights the pressing need for comprehensive research encompassing breastfeeding behaviors, human milk intake, and their impact on infant health outcomes. Additionally, promoting awareness among healthcare providers and families regarding the detrimental effects of unnecessary formula supplementation could facilitate informed decision-making and bolster exclusive breastfeeding rates. Moreover, donor human milk (DHM) is a promising alternative to formula, potentially mitigating disruptions to the infant gut microbiome after antibiotic exposure. Overall, prioritizing breastfeeding support interventions and bridging research gaps are essential steps towards improving child health outcomes on a global scale.
世界卫生组织（WHO）建议在生命的前 6 个月进行纯母乳喂养，随后添加补充食品，并持续母乳喂养至少 2 年，强调母乳喂养在降低婴儿死亡率和预防各种疾病方面的关键作用。本文深入探讨了母乳喂养实践、早期生活中抗生素暴露和婴儿肠道微生物组发育之间的复杂关系，强调了它们对儿童健康结果的深远影响。抗生素在怀孕期间和儿童时期广泛使用，会破坏微生物组，并与过敏、肥胖和神经发育障碍的风险增加有关。母乳喂养是更健康肠道微生物组的重要决定因素，其特征是有益细菌（如双歧杆菌）水平较高，潜在病原体水平较低。尽管广泛认识到母乳喂养的好处，但在医疗保健实践和支持机制方面仍存在差距，这加剧了母乳喂养家庭面临的挑战。这凸显了全面研究母乳喂养行为、人乳摄入及其对婴儿健康结果影响的迫切需要。此外，提高医疗保健提供者和家庭对不必要配方奶粉补充的有害影响的认识，可以促进知情决策，并提高纯母乳喂养率。此外，捐赠母乳（DHM）是配方的一种有前途的替代品，可能减轻抗生素暴露后婴儿肠道微生物组的破坏。总之，优先考虑母乳喂养支持干预措施和弥合研究差距，是在全球范围内改善儿童健康结果的重要步骤。
