SEATTLE — Scientists are unlocking the incredible power of breast milk.
New research shows it has the potential to influence a newborn’s lifelong health.
When a baby is born, their immune system is what doctors call a “blank slate,” which includes their microbiome in their gut.
“Milk has factors that help shape infant immune responses to the microbiota,” said Dr. Meghan Koch.
And not just any milk, but mother’s milk.
Dr. Koch, an assistant professor of immunology at Fred Hutch, is studying how maternal antibodies passed to infants during breastfeeding don’t just protect against infections — they also teach the infant’s immune system when to fight harmful pathogens and when to tolerate friendly microbes.
“Certain antibody types in the milk were particularly important at particular time points in development for shaping this response,” Koch said.
Doctors have long known that breast milk provides important antibodies to babies. But researchers like Dr. Koch are digging deeper.
“The focus of this project is to try to really dissect how this is working with the goal that if the more we know about how it’s working, the more we can manipulate this process,” Koch explained.
Recently published in the journal Science, Koch used mice to study a critical window when antibodies shape how a newborn’s immune system responds, even into adulthood. She found early exposure to antibodies from breast milk had effects that lasted long after weaning.
The research might also help moms who struggle with milk production, noting the importance of colostrum, the first milk given upon birth.
“If you can’t breastfeed for a year, maybe you could breastfeed for a few days, right?” Koch said.
Koch understands some families turn to baby formula, especially if breast milk production is limited. While formula provides nutrition for growth, breast milk contains unique immune-boosting components.
Koch’s goal is to pinpoint those antibodies so that baby formula could one day be supplemented with the same protective antibody benefits.
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