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. 2025 Jun;97(7):2267-2271.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-03922-4. Epub 2025 Feb 18.

Effect of prenatal antibiotics on breast milk and neonatal IgA and microbiome: a case-control translational study protocol

Carlo Pietrasanta  1   2 , Andrea Ronchi  3 , Carolina Carlosama  4 , Michela Lizier  4 , Alessandra Silvestri  4 , Giulia Fornasa  4 , Alessia Melacarne  4 , Martin Mihula  4   5 , Francesco D'Ambrosi  6 , Martina Lutterotti  7 , Elisa Carbone  3 , Irene Cetin  6   8 , Monica Fumagalli  9   3 , Enrico Ferrazzi  6   8 , Giuseppe Penna  4 , Fabio Mosca  9   3 , Lorenza Pugni  3 , Maria Rescigno  4   10
Affiliations

Effect of prenatal antibiotics on breast milk and neonatal IgA and microbiome: a case-control translational study protocol

Carlo Pietrasanta et al. Pediatr Res. 2025 Jun.

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Up to 25-35% of women receive antibiotics (ABX) during pregnancy, but little is known about the consequences on a key mucosal interface such as the mammary gland, and on the development of the neonatal gut's microbiota and IgA. We hypothesize that prenatal ABX negatively affect the immune functionality of mammary gland, the composition of breast milk microbiota, the development of neonatal fecal microbiota and the abundance of neonatal fecal IgA.

Methods: Case-control translational cohort study on women and neonates in the presence or absence (N = 41 + 41 pairs) of exposure to prenatal ABX for at least 7 consecutive days after 32 weeks of gestation.

Results: We will evaluate IgA concentration in breast milk and in neonatal feces up to one year after delivery. We will also evaluate clinical parameters, neurodevelopment and the composition of the IgA-coated and uncoated fractions of breast milk and fecal microbiota by means of magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) coupled with shotgun metagenomics. Finally, we will measure the concentration of the chemokine CCL28 on maternal serum and breast milk, as a marker of activity of the entero-mammary pathway.

Conclusions: Our results might support a data-driven evaluation of breast milk immune function in women exposed to prenatal ABX.

Impact: Breast milk IgA and microbiota are critical to determine the positive effects of breastfeeding in infants. This research protocol will investigate breast milk IgA, microbiota, and the IgA+ / IgA- fractions of neonatal fecal microbiota upon exposure to prenatal antibiotics. Fecal IgA and microbiota in infants exposed or not exposed to prenatal antibiotics will be analyzed up to 1 year after birth. This research will clarify the impact of prenatal antibiotics on the immune function of breast milk. This, in turn, might support the selective evaluation of breast milk IgA/microbiota in mothers exposed to prenatal antibiotics, or in donor human milk.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Consent statement: Written informed consent will be obtained from enrolled women and the fathers of enrolled neonates.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Graphical overview of the study protocol and procedures.
ASQ: Ages and Stages Questionnaires. CCL28: Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 28.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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