Leveraging mHealth and a milk expression frequency biomarker during postpartum to prolong lactation among parents of critically ill infants: a pilot study

• Published in: Journal of perinatology Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 616 - 623
• Main Authors: Magalhães, Marina, Havelaar, Arie H., Varma, Deepthi S., Cacho, Nicole, Sullivan, Sandra, Parker, Leslie A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01.05.2023; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/700/1720; 692/700/459/1748; Biomarkers; Breast Feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Critical care; Critical Illness; Customization; Feasibility; Feeding; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Lactation; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Messages; Milk; Milk, Human; Mothers; Neonatal care; Parents; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Pilot Projects; Postpartum period; Rank tests; Short message service; Telemedicine
• ISSN: 0743-8346; 1476-5543
• DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01639-y

Objective To assess the feasibility and potential benefits of personalized biomarker-based text messages in prolonging lactation among parents of critically ill infants. Study Design Thirty-six participants were randomized to receive either daily texts with Mother’s Own Milk (MOM) sodium levels or standard care. Surveys at months 1 and 3 assessed whether infants were receiving exclusive MOM feeding, any MOM feeding, and whether the parent was still lactating. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used for time-to-event analysis within and between intervention and control groups. Results Participants were predominantly on Medicaid (72%), delivered infants <1500 g, and by c-section (56%). Kaplan-Meier probabilities at month 3 suggest prolonged MOM feeding (63% [0.95CI, 0.43–0.91] vs. 41% [0.95CI, 0.21–0.67]) and lactation (63% [0.95CI, 0.42–0.95] vs. 37% [0.95CI, 0.18–0.76]) in the enhanced group compared to the control group. Conclusion Personalized biomarker-based text messages are feasible and may prolong lactation and MOM feeding among parents of critically ill infants.