Breastfeeding could prevent newborn babies from developing meningitis, scientists claim
Study shows a natural sugar in mothers' breast milk helps protect their children from the fatal disease
BREASTFED babies may be less likely to develop meningitis, a study found.
About one in three women carry a type of bacteria that can cause the deadly infection in newborns.
But a natural sugar found in around half of all mums’ milk may block it.
One study found that babies whose mothers had the protective sugar in their breast milk were more likely to have cleared the harmful bacteria from their bodies within 90 days of being born.
Leader researcher, Dr Nicholas Andreas, said: "Although this is early-stage research it demonstrates the complexity of breast milk, and the benefits it may have for the baby.
"Increasingly, research is suggesting these breast milk sugars may protect against infections in the newborn, as well as boosting a child’s ‘friendly’ gut bacteria.”
The type of sugars a mother has in her breast milk are partly determined by her genes.
Scientists hope the findings could lead to breast milk supplements being developed for mums who lack the sugar.
