Breastmilk sugars could help treat infections and prevent preterm births

Breastfeeding has long been used as a method to help keep newborns healthy and protected against a variety of diseases. But certain sugars naturally found in breastmilk could also help prevent infections before a baby arrives. Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have found that these sugars can stop a common prenatal infection in human tissues and pregnant mice. This could someday help avoid preterm births or complications without the need for additional antibiotics.

One of the most common bacteria that can affect pregnancies is Group B streptococcus (GBS). If left untreated, GBS infections can potentially lead to adverse effects, including neonatal pneumonia or preterm birth. Though treatments are available, they primarily rely on antibiotics, which can give rise to resistant strains. However, many of the compounds already present in human breast milk, such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), naturally have antibacterial effects. The team wanted to investigate HMO activity in GBS infections in pregnant mice and human tissues.