Maternal medications lower the protein and fat levels in breast milk: JAMA

A recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association highlighted the potential impact of maternal medications on the macronutrient composition of human milk. This cross-sectional study examined breast milk samples from mothers in the US and Canada who were either on long-term medications, untreated but with the same underlying health conditions, or completely healthy.

The study by Essi Whaites Heinonen and at the University of California, San Diego analyzed milk samples collected from October 2014 to January 2024 as part of the Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository. This research compared macronutrient levels (protein, fat, carbohydrates, and total energy) in milk samples from 310 mothers on medications, 151 untreated mothers with similar health conditions (disease-matched controls , or DMCs), and 73 healthy untreated mothers. The medications studied included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), monoclonal antibodies (MABs), systemic steroids, and other anti-inflammatory drugs (ADs).

After excluding samples with multiple medication exposures or extreme outliers, a total of 384 samples remained for analysis. The team adjusted their findings for several variables, including maternal and infant age, maternal body mass index, breastfeeding practices and other relevant factors. The study found that breast milk from mothers taking certain medications showed significantly lower levels of protein and fat when compared to healthy mothers.