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BMC Public Health Jun 2024Although exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life, research suggests that breastfeeding initiation rates and duration among Indigenous...
BACKGROUND
Although exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life, research suggests that breastfeeding initiation rates and duration among Indigenous communities differ from this recommendation. Qualitative studies point to a variety of factors influencing infant feeding decisions; however, there has been no collective review of this literature published to date. Therefore, the objective of this scoping review was to identify and summarize the qualitative literature regarding Indigenous infant feeding experiences within Canada, the United States, Australia, and Aotearoa.
METHODS
Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses- Scoping Reviews and the Joanna Briggs Institute Guidelines, in October 2020, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for relevant papers focusing on Indigenous infant feeding experiences. Screening and full-text review was completed by two independent reviewers. A grey literature search was also conducted using country-specific Google searches and targeted website searching. The protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework and published in BMJ Open.
RESULTS
Forty-six papers from the five databases and grey literature searches were included in the final review and extraction. There were 18 papers from Canada, 11 papers in the US, 9 studies in Australia and 8 studies conducted in Aotearoa. We identified the following themes describing infant feeding experiences through qualitative analysis: colonization, culture and traditionality, social perceptions, family, professional influences, environment, cultural safety, survivance, establishing breastfeeding, autonomy, infant feeding knowledge, and milk substitutes, with family and culture having the most influence on infant feeding experiences based on frequency of themes.
CONCLUSIONS
This review highlights key influencers of Indigenous caregivers' infant feeding experiences, which are often situated within complex social and environmental contexts with the role of family and culture as essential in supporting caregivers. There is a need for long-term follow-up studies that partner with communities to support sustainable policy and program changes that support infant and maternal health.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Australia; Breast Feeding; Canada; Qualitative Research; United States
PubMed: 38872131
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19060-1 -
PloS One 2024Poor attachment, suckling, and positioning contribute to ineffective breastfeeding techniques. Poor weight gain, stunting, and decreased immunity are caused by... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Poor attachment, suckling, and positioning contribute to ineffective breastfeeding techniques. Poor weight gain, stunting, and decreased immunity are caused by insufficient breast milk intake owing to ineffective breastfeeding techniques. Numerous primary studies conducted in Ethiopia have revealed negative effects of ineffective breastfeeding techniques. However, inconsistencies have been observed among these studies, and no review has been conducted to report the amalgamated magnitude and associated factors. Therefore, this review aimed to estimate the national prevalence and factors associated with ineffective breastfeeding techniques in Ethiopia.
METHODS
Using PRISMA standards, we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed articles from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of ineffective breastfeeding techniques. Q and I2 tests were used to assess heterogeneity across studies. To evaluate the national prevalence and effect size of the linked covariates, a weighted inverse variance random-effects model was used. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the region, sample size, and year of publication. Funnel plots and Egger's regression tests were used to examine publication bias. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the impact of the studies.
RESULTS
The analysis included a total of eleven studies with 4,470 participants used in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of ineffective breastfeeding techniques in Ethiopia was 53.13% (45.49, 60.78) no formal education (AOR = 3.42; 95% CI:1.67-5.18; I2 = 72.2%; P = 0.0132), primipara (AOR = 2.72;95% CI:1.81-3.64; I2 = 46.7%; P = 0.131), postnatal care (PNC) (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI:1.35-2.32; I2 = 0%; P = 0.53), breastfeeding counseling (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI:1.23-2.63; I2 = 0%;P = 0.35), home delivery and having breast problem (AOR = 3.11; 95% CI:1.09-5.16; I2 = 0%;P = 0.877) and (AOR = 2.22; 95% CI:1.28-3.16; I2 = 0%;P = 0.80) respectively were significantly associated with ineffective breastfeeding techniques.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of ineffective breastfeeding techniques in Ethiopia remains high. Policymakers and program officials should focus on empowering women, increasing institutional delivery, and providing counseling on breastfeeding throughout the maternal continuum of care. These measures will improve breastfeeding techniques and lead to better health of both infants and women.
Topics: Breast Feeding; Ethiopia; Humans; Female; Prevalence; Mothers
PubMed: 38870174
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303749 -
Reproduction in Domestic Animals =... Jun 2024The impact of beta-carotene on cattle fertility has been investigated in various studies; however, consensus on this issue has not been reached. In the present study, we... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The impact of beta-carotene on cattle fertility has been investigated in various studies; however, consensus on this issue has not been reached. In the present study, we systematically reviewed and meta-analysed 29 publications conducted between 1984 and 2022, focusing on seven fertility measures, clinical mastitis and milk yield in cows. We did not find statistically significant results in 8 out of 11 parameters (p > .05). Statistically significant results were observed for milk yield (MD: 216.25 kg in 305 days, p = .01, CI: 50.73-381.77), pregnancy at first service (OR: 1.38 CI: 1.08-1.76, p = .01) and clinical mastitis (OR: 0.59, CI: 0.44-0.80, p = .006) in favour of beta-carotene supplementation. The meta-regression revealed significant effects of 'plasma beta-carotene levels' on 'service to per pregnancy' and dose on 'milk yield' (p = .04 and p = 0). In binary outcomes, 'dose × day' and 'plasma beta-carotene concentration in the control group' positively influenced pregnancy at first service (p = .02 and .03). In conclusion, given the positive point direction observed for some variables and insignificant results for others, there is a need for more studies. We note the very high heterogeneity of outcomes and suggest caution in interpreting results.
Topics: Animals; beta Carotene; Female; Cattle; Lactation; Milk; Mastitis, Bovine; Pregnancy; Dietary Supplements; Fertility
PubMed: 38860761
DOI: 10.1111/rda.14634 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024Ruminant feed is a major problem for the livestock sector in West African developing countries causing animal nutritional diseases, reducing ruminant production, and .... (Review)
Review
Ruminant feed is a major problem for the livestock sector in West African developing countries causing animal nutritional diseases, reducing ruminant production, and . Alternative feeds, which include agro-industrial by-products, fodder trees, crop residues, insects, fodder legumes, algae, and pulses, constitute enormous feed resources for livestock in Africa. This study was conducted in accordance with the methodological recommendations of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). We conducted a literature search using Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus to identify documents related to alternative ruminant feeds using the following keywords: alternative feeds, ruminant products, environmental impacts, and West Africa. Those that met the inclusion criteria were included, resulting in 44 articles published between 2013 and 2023. These studies included 45 alternative feeds divided into six groups, including agro-industrial by-products (48.89%), followed by fodder trees (17.78%), crop residues (13.33%), insects (8.89%), fodder legumes (6.67%) and seaweeds (4.44%). Our results revealed that alternative feed resources and their effects on ruminant's performances and environment are poorly known in West Africa, which limits their inclusion in rations and sometimes leads to their misuse. Future research should focus on these aspects in order to make efficient use of these resources to improve ruminant milk and meat production.
PubMed: 38855410
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1352235 -
Intensive & Critical Care Nursing Jun 2024To identify the most effective non-pharmacological measures for pain control in preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To identify the most effective non-pharmacological measures for pain control in preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
METHODS
A Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish from April 2020 to December 2023. The data sources used were MedLine via PubMed, LILACS, EMBASE, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Pedro. We performed the risk of bias analysis with Rob 2 and the certainty of the evidence and strength of the recommendation using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. We assessed heterogeneity using the Higgins and Thompson I test, the classification of interventions using the P-score, and inconsistencies using the Direct Evidence Plot.
RESULTS
From 210 publications identified, we utilized 12 studies in analysis with 961 preterm infants, and we combined ten studies in network meta-analysis with 716 preterm infants, and 12 combinations of non-pharmacological measures. With moderate confidence, sensory saturation, sugars, non-nutritive sucking, maternal heart sound, lullaby, breast milk odor/taste, magnetic acupuncture, skin-to-skin contact, and facilitated tucking have been shown to reduce pain in preterm infants when compared to no intervention, placebo, proparacaine or standard NICU routine: sensory saturation [SMD 5,25 IC 95%: -8,98; -1,53], sugars [SMD 2,32 IC 95%: -3,86; -0,79], pacifier [SMD 3,74 IC 95%: -7,30; 0,19], and sugars and pacifier SMD [3,88 IC 95% -7,72; -0,04].
CONCLUSION
Non-pharmacological measures are strongly recommended for pain management in preterm infants in the NICU.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE
The findings of this study have important implications for policy and practice. This is the only systematic review that compared the effectiveness of non-pharmacological measures, thus making it possible to identify which measure presents the best results and could be the first choice in clinical decision making.
PubMed: 38852240
DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2024.103742 -
Journal of Animal Science and... Jun 2024Cellular agriculture is an innovative technology for manufacturing sustainable agricultural products as an alternative to traditional agriculture. While most cellular... (Review)
Review
Cellular agriculture is an innovative technology for manufacturing sustainable agricultural products as an alternative to traditional agriculture. While most cellular agriculture is predominantly centered on the production of cultured meat, there is a growing demand for an understanding of the production techniques involved in dairy products within cellular agriculture. This review focuses on the current status of cellular agriculture in the dairy sector and technical challenges for cell-cultured milk production. Cellular agriculture technology in the dairy sector has been classified into fermentation-based and animal cell culture-based cellular agriculture. Currently, various companies synthesize milk components through precision fermentation technology. Nevertheless, several startup companies are pursuing animal cell-based technology, driven by public concerns regarding genetically modified organisms in precision fermentation technology. Hence, this review offers an up-to-date exploration of animal cell-based cellular agriculture to produce milk components, specifically emphasizing the structural, functional, and productive aspects of mammary epithelial cells, providing new information for industry and academia.
PubMed: 38849927
DOI: 10.1186/s40104-024-01039-y -
Pediatric Research Jun 2024There is an increasing acceptance and use of donor human milk (DHM) in healthy infants. This review investigates the benefits and risks of mothers' own milk (MOM)...
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing acceptance and use of donor human milk (DHM) in healthy infants. This review investigates the benefits and risks of mothers' own milk (MOM) supplementation with DHM compared to infant formula (IF) in moderate-late preterm (MLP) and early term (ET) infants.
METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL and clinical trial registries were searched for studies published up to September 2023. The primary outcome was rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE framework. RoB1 and EPHPP were used to assess risk of bias for controlled trials and observational studies, respectively.
RESULTS
Eleven studies involving total of 10,147 infants and six ongoing trials were identified. Studies were of low quality, and the certainty of evidence was assessed as very low. Three studies suggested benefits of DHM compared to IF on EBF at discharge, while two suggested no difference. No clear effect was observed on EBF duration, any breastfeeding, hypoglycemia and morbidity. No health risks were reported.
CONCLUSION
The effect of supplementing MOM with DHM instead of IF on EBF and other health outcomes is unclear. High-quality studies are required to determine the potential benefits or risks of DHM supplementation in this population.
IMPACT
We identified 11 relevant studies reporting on supplementation of mothers' own milk (MOM) with donor human milk (DHM) compared to infant formula (IF). Studies were of low quality, had heterogeneous outcome definitions and were geographically limited; all except two were observational studies. Limited evidence showed no clear difference on rates of exclusive breastfeeding and other health outcomes. No potential risks were reported. The increasing acceptance and use of DHM in healthy infants highlights the need for future high-quality studies.
PubMed: 38844541
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03309-x -
PloS One 2024Postpartum hypogalactia (PH) is prominent during lactation and may negatively impact the mother's or infant's health. Acupuncture is widely used to increase maternal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Postpartum hypogalactia (PH) is prominent during lactation and may negatively impact the mother's or infant's health. Acupuncture is widely used to increase maternal breast milk production. However, the effects of acupuncture on PH remain unclear. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in individuals with PH.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Articles on potentially eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for PH published from database inception to October 2023 were retrieved from the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, WanFang, and VIP databases. Two reviewers independently screened the records, extracted essential information, and evaluated the methodological quality of the RCTs using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. The primary outcome was a change in serum prolactin (PRL) levels before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included milk secretion volume (MSV), total effective rate (TER), mammary fullness degree (MFD), and exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBR). Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan v5.4. Finally, the quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool.
RESULTS
This study included 19 RCTs involving 2,400 participants. The included studies were classified as having an unclear to high RoB. Our findings indicated that, overall, acupuncture showed a significant effect in increasing serum PRL levels (standardized mean differences [SMDs] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50, 1.68), MSV (SMD = 1.69, 95% CI: 0.53, 2.86), TER (relative risk [RR] = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.42), and EBR (RR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.78) compared to that in the control group; however, no difference in MFD (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI: -0.09, 2.42) was observed. In the subgroup analysis, acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs or conventional treatment was significantly more effective in increasing serum PRL levels, MSV, and TER than did Chinese herbs or conventional treatment alone. Moreover, acupuncture alone resulted in significantly higher serum PRL levels compared to Chinese herbs; however, this benefit was not observed for TER and MFD. The quality of evidence was critically low.
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture may effectively increase milk secretion in women with PH. However, owing to the low quality of evidence, further rigorously designed studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
Topics: Humans; Acupuncture Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Female; Postpartum Period; Lactation; Prolactin; Breast Feeding; Treatment Outcome; Galactorrhea; Milk, Human
PubMed: 38843204
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303948 -
Breastfeeding Medicine : the Official... Jun 2024To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nonpharmacological topical interventions for treating breastfeeding nipple pain. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing... (Review)
Review
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nonpharmacological topical interventions for treating breastfeeding nipple pain. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing lactating women suffering from breastfeeding painful nipples were included. Primary outcomes were pain, healing process, and adverse events. A comprehensive search was conducted on June 02, 2023, without date or language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the certainty of the evidence, the GRADE approach. Nineteen RCTs with unclear to high risk of bias were included. There was uncertain evidence regarding the effects of photobiomodulation versus placebo on pain reduction (mean difference [MD] -0.15; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] -1 0.49 to 1.19; 139 participants, 2 RCTs). There are uncertainties concerning the effects of lanolin versus breast milk on pain (MD -1.80; 95% CI -2.43 to -1.17; 1 RCT; 180 participants), wound healing (MD 0.10; 95% CI -0.26 to -0.46; 1 RCT; 180 participants), and any adverse events (zero events in both groups). Similar effects were observed by the other interventions assessed. The evidence of nonpharmacological topical interventions for painful nipples is imprecise, and future RCTs with higher methodological quality are needed to support recommendations. Considering the accessibility and low cost of these alternative treatments, the findings of this evidence synthesis could support clinical decision-making and guide future research. PROSPERO CRD42020170320.
PubMed: 38837198
DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2024.0043 -
Cureus May 2024The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WHO, and American College of Obstetricians and... (Review)
Review
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WHO, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend vaccination of pregnant and lactating women, aiming to protect both mothers and their infants through transplacental and human milk antibody transmission. This study aims to assess the quantity of antibodies in human milk and determine the effect of time, vaccine type, and dose on antibody level. Single-arm prospective observational studies reporting the COVID-19-specific antibody level in human milk after COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy or lactation were included. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EBSCO, and Web of Science were searched from December 2019 to November 22, 2022. Data were extracted in a uniform Google sheet. A total of 2657 studies were identified. After the removal of duplicates and screening, 24 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-regression. Human milk COVID-19-specific antibody levels increased with subsequent vaccine doses, as reflected by a positive relationship for the second (coefficient=0.91, P-value 0.043 for IgA and coefficient=1.77, P-value 0.009 for IgG) and third (coefficient=1.23, P-value 0.0029 for IgA and coefficient=3.73, P-value 0.0068 for IgG) doses. The antibody level exhibited a weak positive relationship with the follow-up time (coefficient=0.13, P-value 0.0029 for IgA and coefficient=0.18, P-value 0.016 for IgG). Only one of the 38 infants showed detectable COVID-19 IgM and IgA antibody levels in their blood. There was an increase in the neutralizing activity of COVID-19 antibodies in human milk following the COVID-19 vaccination. From the analysis of published data, we found high positive levels of antibodies in human milk that increased with subsequent doses. Additionally, the human milk antibodies exhibit a positive neutralizing effect. Only one infant had detectable COVID-19 IgM+IgA antibodies in the blood. Further research is needed to discuss infant protection through a mother's vaccination.
PubMed: 38826925
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59500