LivingThrough breastfeeding, mothers can provide long-term acquired immunity for...
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Through breastfeeding, mothers can provide long-term acquired immunity for their babies

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We know that breast milk is the best food we can give our children during their first six months of life, but if we have the possibility of extending it for a longer time, it is much better, as it continues to receive its benefits during the first years.

However, the benefits of breast milk are not limited to how long breastfeeding lasts, but its ability to protect against infections extends throughout life , according to a new study.

Published in the journal Science Advances , they analyzed the transfer of immunity provided by breast milk, which protects the baby , and which was believed to only be effective for as long as breastfeeding lasted, ceasing to protect you when it ended.

However, according to this study in mice, the protection that breast milk gives the baby could last a lifetime , since they found that the transfer of immunity can be long-term, after breastfeeding has ended. Also, during the investigation it was found that said protection was caused by the transfer of immune cells from mother to child, and that it was independent of antibodies.

According to the study, mothers who had an infection before becoming pregnant, acquired lifelong protection against that infection, and it was transmitted to their babies through cells in breast milk , and not through antibodies.

This study shows that mothers can provide long-term acquired immunity for their babies through breastfeeding , adding to the list of great benefits that breast milk brings, as we have seen in previous studies.

Photo | iStock
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