Prematurity
Conditions
Brief summary
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.
Detailed description
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.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University of Minnesota
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
28 Weeks to 34 Weeks
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* preterm infant born between 25 0/7 and 34 6/7 weeks' gestation that are medically stable for study procedures * mother of preterm infant meeting criteria and a) 18 to 45 years of age at the time of delivery
Exclusion criteria
* infants: major congenital anomalies, anticipated death, positive blood culture at birth, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, grade IV intraventricular hemorrhage, or plan to transfer care before discharge (35-37 weeks postmenstrual age). * mothers: known congenital metabolic, endocrine disease or congenital illness affecting infant feeding/growth
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal milk production inpatient | 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age | total volume (mL) |
| Maternal milk production 4 months corrected age | 4 months corrected age | total volume (mL) |
| Maternal milk proportion inpatient | 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age | Proportion of maternal milk vs donor milk/formula (%) |
| Maternal milk proportion 4 months corrected age | 4 months corrected age | Proportion of maternal milk vs donor milk/formula (%) |
| Infant Neurodevelopment inpatient | 35-37 weeks postmenstrual age | event related potentials (ERP) |
| Infant Neurodevelopment 4 months corrected age | 4 months corrected age | event related potentials (ERP) |
| Infant gut microbiome inpatient | 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age | Microbial diversity of fecal samples |
| Milk microbiome inpatient | 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age | Microbial diversity of milk samples |
| Milk microbiome 4 months corrected age | 4 months corrected age | Microbial diversity of milk samples |
| Milk metabolome inpatient | 28-35 weeks postmenstrual age | Concentration of untargeted and targeted metabolites |
| Milk metabolome 4 months corrected age | 4 months corrected gestational age | Concentration of untargeted and targeted metabolites |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTEmily Nagel, PhD, RD
Outcome results
None listed