Gandino, Serena, Cassidy, Tanya M., Giribaldi, Marzia, Babiszewska-Aksami, Magdalena, Bzikowska-Jura, Agnieszka, Cavallarin, Laura, Karcz, Karolina, Klotz, Daniel, Peila, Chiara, Smith, Carolyn, Walczak, Bartłomiej and Wesolowska, Aleksandra (2025) A Systematic Review on the Influence of Feeding Expressed Mother’s Own Milk Using Varying Expression Practices or Treatments on Health and Growth of Recipient Infants. Advances in Nutrition, 16 (11). p. 100523. ISSN 2161-8313
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Abstract
When feeding at the breast is not possible, infants can still receive expressed mother’s own milk (MOM). Method of expression, hygiene
practices and settings during expression, and processing can affect MOM composition. This study aimed to review current evidence on the
influence of feeding MOM expressed using varying expression methods, hygiene practices or settings during expression, or treatments on
the health and growth of recipient infants. We systematically searched CENTRAL, CINAHL, clinicaltrials.gov, Embase, Emcare, EU trials,
Global Health, Global Index Medicus, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and WHO for primary research studies, including observational
studies, published up to March 2024 evaluating different methods of MOM expression, hygiene practices or settings during expression, and
methods processing of MOM and reporting clinical outcomes on recipient infants. Key outcomes of interest were growth, mortality,
morbidity, feeding tolerance, adverse events, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, retroviral infection, other infections, nutrient deficiencies,
neurodevelopment, and breastfeeding. Qualitative thematic synthesis was conducted. An evidence gap map was produced using the
Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Of 29,320 studies screened, 45 met the inclusion
criteria. No expression method or pump type showed clear benefits for breastfeeding rates or infant growth. Three studies reported
improved weight gain in infants receiving hindmilk. Evidence on the effect of processing methods on morbidity and mortality was
inconclusive. Limited evidence was found on the efficacy of the freeze-thaw cycle in reducing CMV transmission, whereas pasteurization
proved more effective. No studies assessed clinical outcomes related to hygiene practices or expression settings. The use of hindmilk
improves infant weight gain with some certainty of evidence. Hand expression of MOM has similar efficacy to that of electric pumping on
the growth of recipient infants, including preterm infants. Evidence on clinical outcomes of different MOM expression practices and
treatments is very limited. This work underscores the need for future studies to address the substantial evidence gaps identified.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | mother’s own milk; hand expression; pasteurization; freezing; hindmilk; infant growth; CMV; |
| Academic Unit: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology |
| Item ID: | 21349 |
| Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.advnut.2025.100523 |
| Depositing User: | Tanya Cassidy |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Mar 2026 15:09 |
| Journal or Publication Title: | Advances in Nutrition |
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Related URLs: | |
| Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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