Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models are used to predict the transfer of medications from mother to baby through breast milk. For clinical practice and research, accurate assessment of infant feeding is relevant. The ConcePTION project has developed a mathematical function that improves the estimation of the infant’s intake of breast milk, which is key for estimations of infant exposure to maternal medicines.
Measuring the infant’s breast milk intake volume is challenging. The authors reviewed literature using a dose-to-mother method called deuterium oxide dilution at different postnatal stages. According to the authors, this method is especially effective for infants up to six months of age, as it does not disturb normal feeding behavior.
By analyzing data from clinical studies, the authors developed a new mathematical function to better estimate the milk intake volume over time. According to the authors, the results of this study question earlier approaches that may have underestimated the actual breast milk intake, especially after two months of age.
The systematic review is published in the journal Nutrients. This research is providing insights for future PBPK modelling to enhance informed healthcare decisions, and improve outcomes for mothers and their infants.
“The findings have important implications for future PBPK modelling, which are critical for evaluating drug safety during breastfeeding, as this function is based on the more accurate deuterium oxide dilution method only,” says Martje Van Neste, MD & PhD student at KU Leuven and co-author of the study.
Do you want to know more? Read the article: Cloostermans L, Allegaert K, Smits A, Van Neste M. The Deuterium Oxide Dilution Method to Quantify Human Milk Intake Volume of Infants: A Systematic Review—A Contribution from the ConcePTION Project. Nutrients. 2024; 16(23):4205. DOI: 10.3390/nu16234205
By Fanny Klingvall
