human milk

Human milk is a complex biological fluid produced by human females that serves as the primary nutrition source for infants. Beyond its nutritional value, it contains a rich array of bioactive components, including immunoglobulins (such as secretory IgA), lactoferrin, lysozyme, oligosaccharides, hormones, and immune cells. These components confer anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Due to these characteristics, human milk has been investigated for various therapeutic applications. Clinical studies have explored its use, particularly in premature infants, for preventing conditions like late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and for reducing the need for vasopressor support in neonatal septic shock. [2, 3, 5] Additionally, it has been studied as a topical treatment for skin conditions such as diaper dermatitis and atopic eczema, with varying results. [1, 9] For instance, oropharyngeal administration of colostrum (the first form of milk) did not significantly reduce a composite outcome of death, sepsis, or NEC in one trial, while another study suggested that any human milk feeding was associated with a lower need for vasoactive medications in septic newborns. [2, 3]

Other names

mother's milkown mother's milkcolostrum