Antibiotics for Breastfeeding Mothers: Understanding Impact on Milk, Babies, and Gut Health
Official title: Antibiotic Treatment in Breastfeeding Mothers: Effects on Milk, Microbiome, and Infant Outcomes
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11143899 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to understand how common antibiotics taken by breastfeeding mothers might affect their breast milk, their baby's gut health, and the baby's overall development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $180,225 |
| NIH project number | 5P50HD106463-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143899 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are breastfeeding mothers and their infants who may be taking or considering taking commonly prescribed antibiotics.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not breastfeeding or whose infants are older than one year may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
We want to learn more about how antibiotics pass into breast milk and what changes they might cause in the milk's nutrients and beneficial bacteria. We also hope to discover how a mother's antibiotic use could influence her baby's growth, development, and immune system. To do this, we will follow mothers and their babies, collecting samples and observing their health over time. This will help us understand the full picture of antibiotic use during breastfeeding.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide clearer guidance for breastfeeding mothers and their doctors regarding antibiotic use, potentially improving infant health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While antibiotic use in breastfeeding is common, there is limited comprehensive research specifically on the transmission, milk composition changes, and long-term infant outcomes, making this a novel and important area of inquiry.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chambers, Christina — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Chambers, Christina
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.