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Am J Perinatol 2014; 31(04): 293-298
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1348028
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Bacterial Contamination of Mechanically Extracted Breast Milk

Lars Mense
1   Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
,
Susann Rößler
2   Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
,
Regina Hanusch
1   Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
,
Cornelia Roßberg
1   Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
,
Mario Rüdiger
1   Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

23 February 2013

01 May 2013

Publication Date:
13 June 2013 (online)

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Abstract

Objective Positive effects of breast milk feeding for preterm newborns have been demonstrated but bacterial contamination of mechanically expressed breast milk may cause neonatal sepsis. Pasteurizing breast milk reduces the bacterial count but impairs helpful nutrients. The aim of the study was (1) to analyze bacterial concentration in expressed breast milk and (2) to clarify if procedures after extraction cause an increase of bacterial contamination.

Study Design Routine bacterial breast milk cultures of newborns < 32 weeks of gestational age were analyzed retrospectively from the year 2010. Serial milk cultures from both breasts of 50 mothers, the collecting bottle, and the in-house milk bank were tested prospectively.

Results Forty percent of milk samples from 2010 contained more than 100,000 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter or more than 10,000 CFU/mL potential pathogenic bacteria. In the prospective study no significant differences in bacterial concentration after breast milk extraction were observed.

Conclusion High concentrations of bacteria are frequently observed in expressed breast milk. The study provides evidence that these bacteria are in the breast milk directly after emission. The pumping procedure and further transportation to the milk bank are of no influence.

Keywords

breast milk - newborn feeding - breast-feeding - bacterial contamination - neonatal sepsis
 

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