Breast Milk Jaundice and Maternal Diet with Chinese Herbal Medicines

Abstract

Our objective was to identify the association between maternal diet with Chinese herbal medicines and prolonged jaundice of breast-fed infants. Healthy infants at 25 to 45 days of age were eligible for enrollment into this prospective study. Jaundice was defined as a transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) value ≥ 5 mg/dL. A questionnaire survey asking feeding type, stool pattern, and maternal diet was conducted at the time of TcB measurement. A total of 1148 infants were enrolled, including 151 formula-fed, 436 combination-fed, and 561 breast-fed infants. The incidences of jaundice were 4.0% in formula-fed infants, 15.1% in combination-fed infants, and 39.8% in breast-fed infants (P < 0.001). In addition, jaundice was noted in 37.1% of preterm infants and 25.0% of term infants (P < 0.001). Furthermore, jaundice was more common in breast-fed infants whose mothers did not consume the traditional Chinese herbal medicines than in breast-fed infants whose mothers did consume such medicines (P < 0.001). In conclusion, this cohort study has identified late-preterm birth and breast feeding as the contributory factors for prolonged jaundice of apparently well infants. The data indicate that postpartum diet with Chinese herbal medicines is associated with breast milk jaundice.

Risk assessment of prolonged jaundice in infants at one month of age: A prospective cohort study

“…In infants fed with breast milk, prolonged jaundice was very common. Our previous study demonstrated that, in breastfed infants, maternal diets are associated with prolonged jaundice 18 . The components of breast milk contribute to the development of prolonged jaundice 11 .…”

“…As a result of immaturity in metabolism of bilirubin, preterm infants are at great risk of prolonged jaundice 19 . Our previous study enrolling 1148 healthy infants indicated that prolonged jaundice was more common in infants with GA 34~36 w than those with GA 37~42 w 18 . Genetic variant of UGT1A1 may play an important role of prolonged jaundice in preterm infants 20 .…”

Risk assessment of gene variants for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Taiwan

“…Infants were routinely observed visually for the development of significant clinical jaundice. Bilirubin level was screened daily in all infants with non-invasive transcutaneous bilirubinmeter BiliCheck device (Spectrx Inc, Norcross, GA, USA) [ 11 ]. Serum bilirubin tests were performed with Unistat TM bilirubinmeter (Cambridge Instruments, NY, USA).…”

Effect of Epidermal Growth Factor in Human Milk and Maternal Diet on Late-Onset Breast Milk Jaundice: A Case-Control Study in Beijing

“…(iv) Detailed medical history, physical examination, and necessary examinations were taken and other possible pathological jaundice was excluded. A total of 29 jaundiced pairs (TcB value ≥ 7.87 mg/dL at 42 days after delivery) and 65 controlled pairs (TcB value < 7.87 mg/dL at 42 days after delivery) [ 16 , 17 ] were eventually enrolled ( Figure 1 ). The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Peking University People’s Hospital, and parents were informed and agreed upon before enrollment.…”