How Maternal Stress Affects Breast Milk and Infant Brain Development
Maternal Stress, Human Milk Composition, and Neurodevelopmental and Feeding Outcomes
This research explores how stress in mothers of premature babies might change their breast milk and influence their baby's brain development and feeding.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171729 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that having a premature baby in the NICU can be very stressful for mothers. This project looks closely at how a mother's stress after birth might impact her ability to produce milk and how well her baby feeds. We will also examine the specific components of breast milk and the baby's gut health to see if these are affected by maternal stress. Our goal is to understand if these changes in milk and gut health are linked to differences in how premature babies' brains develop.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of research would be mothers of premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Not a fit: Patients who are not mothers of premature infants or whose infants are not in the NICU would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us understand how to better support mothers and improve health and brain development for premature infants.
How similar studies have performed: While the importance of breast milk for preterm infants is well-established, the direct and systematic examination of maternal postnatal stress on milk composition and infant neurodevelopment is an area that needs more focused exploration.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nagel, Emily M — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Nagel, Emily M
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 below.