maternal colostrum

Maternal colostrum is the initial milk produced by mothers after delivery, characterized by high concentrations of immunologically active components such as secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), lactoferrin, cytokines, and growth factors. In a clinical trial led by the Federal University of Uberlândia, colostrum was investigated as an oropharyngeal immunotherapy for very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants. The therapy involves the administration of small amounts of colostrum to the oropharyngeal mucosa to stimulate the oropharyngeal-associated lymphoid tissue (OALT) and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), thereby enhancing the infant's immune defenses against late-onset sepsis. While the biological rationale is strong, the specific randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 113 infants did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in sepsis, possibly due to the high rate of early breast milk feeding in the control group.

Other names

human colostrummother's own colostrumdonor human milk