Breastfeeding Leads To Better Hearts In Premature Babies

It is often said that breastmilk is the best for babies, and now a new study adds more weight to that statement. A study has revealed that premature babies that were fed with breast milk have better hearts during adulthood.

Medical News Today reported that one in 10 babies born in America is premature, who often has problems in the development of the heart. Previous studies have presented that these problems include smaller chambers, thicker walls and reduced function when the babies grow older.

Breast is best for premature babies' hearts says new research - https://t.co/YkPONgKQ07 https://t.co/O2mLFTOVPO

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Breastfed Premature Babies Developed Well

The research was conducted by Dr. Adam Lewandowski, of the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility at the University of Oxford and his colleagues. The researchers looked into the development of the hearts of 102 adults who were part of an earlier study on how feeding babies impacted their health. For comparison, 102 others with similar ages who had been born at full term also took part in the study.

According to The Telegraph, the adults born prematurely who were breastfed had larger ventricles by 10 percent compared to those who were fed with formula milk in bottles. Adults who were born premature but breastfed also had hearts who beat more strongly.

Breast Milk Better Than Formula Milk

"Even the best baby formula lacks some of the growth factors, enzymes and antibodies that breast milk provides developing babies," said Lewandowski as per Mirror. Lewandowski and his colleagues' study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

Previous studies have documented a myriad of health benefits that breastfeeding gives babies, reported Medical News Today. This includes reduced risk of asthma, childhood leukemia, childhood obesity, ear infections and eczema. 

Did you breastfeed your babies or did you feed them formula milk? Why? Write your comments below.