Role of human milk in oxidative stress associated with prematurity

Abstract

Fetal to neonatal transition poses a relevant threat to the newly born infant. In few minutes oxygen delivery to tissue will rise abruptly. In addition, very often aggressive therapies which include the use of oxygen are going to be necessary to assure survival of the neonate. Interestingly, the antioxidant defense system maturation pattern is not complete until the end of gestation and, therefore, preterm babies are endowed with an immature and less effective antioxidant armamentarium. Under these circumstances preterm infants are prone to oxidative stress derived serious conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia or intra-periventricular hemorrhage. Remarkably, human milk even in preterm mothers provides with a vast array of antioxidant substances that will undoubtedly help the infant to confront with a pro-oxidant milieu. These antioxidant properties render human milk essential for the survival of preterm infants and its use should be therefore strongly reinforced.

Keywords

Human milk - prematurity - oxidative stress - antioxidant - lactation - nutrition