Treating Mastitis With Mother-Baby Friendly “Probiotics”: A Breakthrough In Maternal And Infant Health

One to 2 out of 10 lactating mothers (12-15% of lactating women) suffer from pain, redness and swelling of breast tissue, sometimes accompanied by fever during breastfeeding. This disease is known as mastitis or infection of the breast tissue. This infection is commonly treated with prescribed antibiotics.Mastitis is also a common reason for mothers to stop breastfeeding due to the discomfort it brings the mother, and the fear that the infant might get the infection from breastmilk. Stopping breastfeeding is the last thing a mother wants to do to her infant, because that means depriving her baby of the essential nutrients and benefits of breastfeeding.

Nowadays, probiotics derived from intestinal gut flora have been widely used due to its beneficial effects on boosting the immune system, gastrointestinal health, protection against infections, prevention of atopy or allergies, anti-inflammatory effects, etc.
I have recently come upon scientific studies proving that probiotics can be isolated from human breastmilk. These human breastmilk probiotics can also be used to treat mastitis. Isn’t it promising to know that moms can get rid of this unwanted breast infection without depriving her baby of the benefits of breastfeeding?

In a clinical trial performed at the University Complutense in Madrid, human breastmilk probiotics versus antibiotics prescribed in primary health care centers were given daily for 3 weeks to women suffering from mastitis. This study concluded that those women in the probiotic groups improved more and had lower recurrence of mastitis than those assigned in the antibiotic groups. In mastitis, there is an increase in the staphylococci in human breastmilk and a decrease in the lactobacillus load. Treatment with human breastmilk probiotics will reverse the bacterial load. As shown on day 21 of treatment, those in the probiotic groups revealed lower bacterial counts than in the antibiotic group and also lactobacillus strains were isolated from the breastmilk samples of the probiotic groups.

The increase in the lactobacilli content in mother’s milk after treatment with breastmilk probiotics will be beneficial not only for the mother but especially for the baby as breastfeeding continues. It will provide stronger immune systems for the infant and protection from infections.
Several studies were also carried out to prove the safety of this human breastmilk probiotics. It has been proven to be effective and safe for use for longer than 3 months with no adverse effects even on infants.

So far I can find only one product which contains these specific human breastmilk probiotics, it is made in Australia and is marketed under the name Qiara. Qiara containing at least 1 billion colony forming units (CFU) of Lactobacillus Fermentum in a sachet, taken 1 sachet per day has been studied to be as effective as the current antibiotics being used to treat mastitis. It has anti-inflammatory properties and produces antimicrobial substances such as organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, etc, that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria causing acute mastitis such as Staphylococcus aureus.

Lactobacillus fermentum in Qiara produces high quantities of lactic acid bacteria which is responsible for the reduction of intestinal pH inhibiting the development and establishment of pathogenic microorganisms. It also increases the membrane permeability to the Gram-negative bacteria (bad bacteria), reducing the viability of these bacteria and increasing the action of the bactericidal compounds.
The availability of this breast milk probiotic for mothers and their babies is a most exciting development. Every pregnant and breastfeeding mother will be interested in how this can help prevent and treat mastitis and strengthen the health of their newborn.

(Note: SOURCES obtained from the compilation of researches from Pubmed)

By:
ELEENOR GUMPAL, MD,
Dr. Eleenor is a practicing Clinical pediatrician in LAS PINAS CITY


October 16, 2012


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Keywords: mastitis, thrush, probiotics

By: Neory

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