THE ESSENTIAL
- The virus responsible for Covid-19 has not been detected in the breast milk of young mothers infected with the virus.
- Iga antibodies, which protect against the coronavirus, were present for at least two months in the breast milk of women infected with the coronavirus.
Reduced risk of infection, inflammatory diseases, obesity… Breast milk has multiple benefits. In this time of pandemic, another virtue has been added to this list. This is the protection conferred by this liquid secreted by the mammary glands of the mother against Covid-19. Several studies have found that women affected by the coronavirus have antibodies to the virus in their breast milk. A study, published in review Frontiers in Immunology on December 23, highlighted new data that goes in this direction.
For the purposes of the work, American researchers recruited 64 nursing mothers. They repeatedly took the women’s milk and nipple cells for two months, after they tested positive for Covid-19. Their goal was to assess the concentrations of IgA antibodies in mothers’ milk after coronavirus infection.
75% of breast milk samples contain protective antibodies
According to the results, 27 nipple samples revealed the presence of Covid-19. But this detection of the virus on the breast was associated with the cough of the nursing woman. Scientists say the virus responsible for Covid-19 was not detected in the breast milk of the participants. Most of the milk samples, or 75% of the 316 samples, contained IgA antibodies, which protect against the coronavirus.
“The concentrations increased during the first two weeks following the onset of symptoms of Covid-19 or a positive test”, can we read in the study. According to the authors, IgA antibodies were present in breast milk for at least two months in 77% of the mothers. “These results support recommendations encouraging breastfeeding women to continue breastfeeding during and after contracting Covid-19”, the researchers concluded.