Title: Maternal transmission of SARS‐COV‐2 to the neonate, and possible routes for such transmission: A systematic review and critical analysis.
In: British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 12 June 2020. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.16362
Authors: Kate F Walker, Keelin O’Donoghue, Nicky Grace, Jon Dorling, Jeannette L Comeau, Wentao Li, Jim G Thornton.
Abstract: "Background: Early reports of COVID‐19 in pregnancy described management by caesarean, strict isolation of the neonate and formula feeding, is this practise justified? Objective: To estimate the risk of the neonate becoming infected with SARS‐COV‐2 by mode of delivery, type of infant feeding and mother‐infant interaction. Search Strategy: Two biomedical databases were searched between September 2019 ‐ June 2020. Selection Criteria: Case reports or case series of pregnant women with confirmed COVID‐19, where neonatal outcomes were reported. Data Collection and Analysis: Data was extracted on mode of delivery, infant infection status, infant feeding and mother‐infant interaction. For reported infant infection a critical analysis was performed to evaluate the likelihood of vertical transmission. Main Results: We included 49 studies which included 666 neonates and 655 women where information was provided on the mode of delivery and the infant’s infection status. 28/666 (4%) neonates had confirmed COVID‐19 infection postnatally. Of the 291 women who delivered vaginally, 8/292 (2.7%) neonates were positive. Of the 364 women who had a Caesarean birth, 20/374 (5.3%) neonates were positive. Of the 28 neonates with confirmed COVID‐19 infection, 7 were breast fed, 3 formula fed, 1 was given expressed breast milk and in 17 neonates the method of infant feeding was not reported. Conclusions: Neonatal COVID‐19 infection is uncommon, uncommonly symptomatic, and the rate of infection is no greater when the baby is born vaginally, breastfed or allowed contact with the mother."
ScienceDaily news release: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200615140859.htm
Open access: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1471-0528.16362
Title: Exclusive breastfeeding can attenuate body-mass-index increase among genetically susceptible children: A longitudinal study from the ALSPAC cohort.
In: PLOS Genetics June 11, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008790 Authors: Yanyan Wu, Stephen Lye, Cindy-Lee Dennis, Laurent Briollais.
Abstract: "Poor maternal environments, such as under- or overnutrition, can increase the risk for the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in offspring. Recent studies in animal models have shown that maternal exercise before and during pregnancy abolishes the age-related development of impaired glucose metabolism, decreased cardiovascular function and increased adiposity; however, the underlying mechanisms for maternal exercise to improve offspring’s health have not been identified. In the present study, we identify an exercise-induced increase in the oligosaccharide 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL) in milk in humans and mice, and show that the beneficial effects of maternal exercise on mouse offspring’s metabolic health and cardiac function are mediated by 3′-SL. In global 3′-SL knockout mice (3′-SL−/−), maternal exercise training failed to improve offspring metabolic health or cardiac function in mice. There was no beneficial effect of maternal exercise on wild-type offspring who consumed milk from exercise-trained 3′-SL−/− dams, whereas supplementing 3′-SL during lactation to wild-type mice improved metabolic health and cardiac function in offspring during adulthood. Importantly, supplementation of 3′-SL negated the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet on body composition and metabolism. The present study reveals a critical role for the oligosaccharide 3′-SL in milk to mediate the effects of maternal exercise on offspring’s health. 3′-SL supplementation is a potential therapeutic approach to combat the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease."
ScienceDaily press release: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200611152438.htm
Open access: https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1008790
Title: Human milk mycobiota composition: relationship with gestational age, delivery mode, and birth weight.
In: Beneficial Microbes 2020 Mar 27;11(2):151-162. doi: 10.3920/BM2019.0158. Epub 2020 Jan 28.
Authors: M Dinleyici, V Pérez-Brocal, S Arslanoglu, O Aydemir, S Sevuk Ozumut, N Tekin, Y Vandenplas, A Moya, E C Dinleyici.
Abstract: "Intestinal and human milk microbiota studies during infancy have shown variations according to geographical location, delivery mode, gestational age, and mother-related factors during pregnancy. In this study, we performed metagenomic mycobiota analyses of 44 transient and mature human milk among five different groups: mothers of normal spontaneous delivery-term (NS-T), caesarean delivery-term (CS-T), premature (PT), small for gestational age (SGA), and large for gestational age (LGA) infants. Fungi were detected in 80 out of the 88 samples. Regarding the number of observed fungal species, the NS-T group was more homogeneous (less variable) comparing the other groups (P<0.05). In the transient human milk samples, the most abundant species were Saccharomyces cerevisiae (33.3%) and Aspergillus glaucus (27.4%). While A. glaucus (33.7%) was second most abundant species in mature milk, S. cerevisiae disappeared (P<0.01) and Penicillium rubens became the most abundant species (35.5%) (P<0.05). Among the NS-T group, the most abundant species was Malassezia globosa in both transient and mature milk. In contrast, S. cerevisiae was the most abundant species in transient human milk (45.0%) in the CS-T group, but it disappeared in mature milk (P<0.01). In transient milk, M. globosa was only represented 6.0-9.0% of taxa in the PT, SGA, and LGA groups (P<0.05). In transient and mature milk in the PT, SGA and LGA groups, the most abundant species were A. glaucus and P. rubens. In mature milk samples, P. rubens is more abundant in CS-T group, PT group and LGA group, than the NS-T groups (P<0.05 for all). Although fungi constitute only a very small part of the human milk microbiome, we observed some changes that the human milk mycobiota composition varies in caesarean delivery, premature, SGA and LGA groups, comparing the normal spontaneous delivery, as well as differences between transient and mature human milk. Keywords: human milk, microbiota, mycobiota, fungi, delivery mode, caesarean, prematurity"
Abstract only: https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/abs/10.3920/BM2019.0158
Title: Exercise-induced 3′-sialyllactose in breast milk is a critical mediator to improve metabolic health and cardiac function in mouse offspring [Debbie's note: both humans and mice were included in this study].
In: Nature Metabolism 29 June 2020. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-020-0223-8
Authors: Johan E. Harris, Kelsey M. Pinckard, Katherine R. Wright, Lisa A. Baer, Peter J. Arts, Eaman Abay, Vikram K. Shettigar, Adam C. Lehnig, Bianca Robertson, Kendra Madaris, Tyler J. Canova, Clark Sims, Laurie J. Goodyear, Aline Andres, Mark T. Ziolo, Lars Bode & Kristin I. Stanford.
Abstract: "Poor maternal environments, such as under- or overnutrition, can increase the risk for the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in offspring. Recent studies in animal models have shown that maternal exercise before and during pregnancy abolishes the age-related development of impaired glucose metabolism, decreased cardiovascular function and increased adiposity; however, the underlying mechanisms for maternal exercise to improve offspring’s health have not been identified. In the present study, we identify an exercise-induced increase in the oligosaccharide 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL) in milk in humans and mice, and show that the beneficial effects of maternal exercise on mouse offspring’s metabolic health and cardiac function are mediated by 3′-SL. In global 3′-SL knockout mice (3′-SL−/−), maternal exercise training failed to improve offspring metabolic health or cardiac function in mice. There was no beneficial effect of maternal exercise on wild-type offspring who consumed milk from exercise-trained 3′-SL−/− dams, whereas supplementing 3′-SL during lactation to wild-type mice improved metabolic health and cardiac function in offspring during adulthood. Importantly, supplementation of 3′-SL negated the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet on body composition and metabolism. The present study reveals a critical role for the oligosaccharide 3′-SL in milk to mediate the effects of maternal exercise on offspring’s health. 3′-SL supplementation is a potential therapeutic approach to combat the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease."
ScienceDaily news release: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200629120220.htm
Abstract only: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-0223-8