This study explores the associations between maternal stress, breastmilk composition, and feeding and neurodevelopment for preterm infants in the NICU and at 4 months corrected age.
The proposed study will address our novel hypothesis that maternal stress is associated with feeding outcomes and markers of impaired neurodevelopment for preterm infants and alters human milk and infant gut profiles in ways that affect preterm neurodevelopment. Mothers and their preterm infants (28-34 weeks gestation at birth) will be recruited to determine if: (1) variation in postnatal stress among mothers of very preterm infants relates to the total volume or proportion of maternal milk provided to her infant in the NICU and if (2) variation in maternal postnatal stress relates to her preterm infant's neurocognitive status at NICU discharge and 4 months corrected age. This project also involves collection/storage of maternal milk and infant fecal samples for multi-omics analyses. More specifically, the study will address: (3A) Is maternal postnatal stress associated with the metabolomic and microbiome characteristics of the infant's gut and/or the milk composition?, and (3B) Do milk composition differences relate to infant neurodevelopment? The aims of the proposed study contribute to our overarching research goal, which is to improve neurodevelopmental health for preterm infants by building the health and resilience of the mother-milk-infant triad.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
120
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
RECRUITINGMaternal milk production inpatient
total volume (mL)
Time frame: 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age
Maternal milk production 4 months corrected age
total volume (mL)
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
Maternal milk proportion inpatient
Proportion of maternal milk vs donor milk/formula (%)
Time frame: 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age
Maternal milk proportion 4 months corrected age
Proportion of maternal milk vs donor milk/formula (%)
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
Infant Neurodevelopment inpatient
event related potentials (ERP)
Time frame: 35-37 weeks postmenstrual age
Infant Neurodevelopment 4 months corrected age
event related potentials (ERP)
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
Infant Neurodevelopment 4 months corrected age
visual evoked potentials (VEP)
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
Infant gut microbiome inpatient
Microbial diversity of fecal samples
Time frame: 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age
Infant gut microbiome 4 months corrected age
Microbial diversity of fecal samples
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Milk microbiome inpatient
Microbial diversity of milk samples
Time frame: 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age
Milk microbiome 4 months corrected age
Microbial diversity of milk samples
Time frame: 4 months corrected age
Milk metabolome inpatient
Concentration of untargeted and targeted metabolites
Time frame: 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age
Milk metabolome 4 months corrected age
Concentration of untargeted and targeted metabolites
Time frame: 4 months corrected gestational age