Interesting facts from local literature: pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding.

Today’s brief window into professional medical literature screening focuses on pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding:

An article “Can coffee consumption be used to accelerate the recovery of bowel function after cesarean section? Randomized prospective trial“ of Turkish authors published in Ginekologia Polska journal in 2020 described a study with 103 women after caesarean section. The study monitored an effect of drinking three cups of coffee a day versus no coffee on the digestion of the mothers. Both groups were comparable demographically and there was no significant difference in the tolerance of solid food in both groups. However, coffee consumption significantly shortened the time to the first flatulence and the first bowel movement.[1]

An article “Non-nutritional “paramedical” usage of human milk — knowledge and opinion of breastfeeding mothers in Poland“ listed options for using breast milk outside of nutrition. A social networks questionnaire survey collected 1,187 responses. The most often non-nutritive breast milk using were a cracked nipples care, healthy skin care, treatment of diaper dermatitis and a treatment of newborn acne. An association between a duration of breastfeeding, gestational age and meaningful non-nutritive use of breast milk was found. Thousands years old records of similar use of breast milk had been discovered.[2]

Interesting facts about cow milk can also be found in the literature. E.g. an American study demonstrated the ability of lactoferrin contained in cow’s milk to destroy the causative agent of the COVID-19 disease, coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Lactoferrin had already been found to have antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic effects. It helped to cause the destruction of viruses, prevented the virus from binding to lipoproteins on the cells surface, and also helped in the activation of immune system cells responsible for destroying cells already infected with the virus. All these mechanisms lead to a significant multiplication suppression of the most known viruses. The direct effect on viruses is relatively short-term, but the strengthening effects of lactoferrin on the immune system can last significantly longer. No other substance with comparable effects has been found in the cow’s milk yet.[3]

Author: Marika Dognerová

[1] Bozkurt Koseoglu S, Korkmaz Toker M, Gokbel I, Celikkol O, Gungorduk K. Can coffee consumption be used to accelerate the recovery of bowel function after cesarean section? Randomized prospective trial; Ginekol Pol 2020;91(2):85-90.

[2] Karcz K, Makuch J, Walkowiak M, Olejnik I, Krolak-Olejnik B. Non-nutritional “paramedical” usage of human milk — knowledge and opinion of breastfeeding mothers in Poland; Ginekol Pol 2020;91(2):79-84.

[3] Petr J. Kravským mlékem proti covidu?; Náš chov, 2022; 82(5).