A delegation from the Life-MILCH project’s team attended the XXIV National Congress of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (SIEDP), hosted in Bologna on November 6th-8th. During the conference, Professor M. Elisabeth Street presented the preliminary data from the first phase of the project, specifically the analysis and measurement of the concentration levels of endocrine disruptors in breast milk collected from the 654 mothers recruited for the Life-MILCH project.

“The data show the presence of phthalates, bisphenol A, glufosinates and glyphosates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, parabens and pyrethroids in breast milk and newborn urine samples – reports Professor Street “we must consider that milk contaminants, interact with each other and can cause potentially greater harmful consequences later in childhood. The exceeding of these values ​​indicates relevance of the possible impact of endocrine disruptors, assumed via breast milk, on the growth of the child. Urgent action is required to reduce the exposure, since breast milk is particularly susceptible to contamination yet at the same time the best food for babies. We would like to warn pregnant women to avoid as much as possible foods and drinks in plastic packaging, cosmetics and toothpastes containing microplastics and clothes made from synthetic fabrics”.

“Although the exposure to these particles seems to be inevitable, given their ubiquity in the environment, the detection of numerous contaminants in breast milk increases our concern for an extremely vulnerable population, such as newborns” explains Professor Mariacarolina Salerno, coordinator of the congress, and Director of the Endocrinological Pediatrics Unit of the Department of Translational Medical Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II. “However, these results should not raise frivolous alarmism: breastfeeding is beneficial for infants’ growth and health, and it should not be suspended in any case but rather, should be ‘protected’. Therefore, we should prevent the exposure to endocrine disruptors and act instead on the nutritional habits and lifestyle of women during pregnancy and breastfeeding".

On this important occasion, two scientific contributions on Life-MILCH project has been presented: "Effects of maternal diet and breastfeeding on the growth and distribution of adiposity from birth to 12 months: data deriving from the European Life-Milch study" by Dr Beatrice Righi (IRCCS Reggio Emilia); “Effects of maternal diet on pubertal stages and anogenital distances from birth to 12 months: data deriving from the European Life-Milch study” by Dr Francesca Alberghi (IRCCS Reggio Emilia).

The following members of the project’s team joined the meeting: Dr Francesca Albergi (IRCCS Reggio Emilia), Professor M.Elisabeth Street (University of Parma), Dr Beatrice Righi (IRCCS Reggio Emilia ), Dr Anna Maria Shulhai (University of Parma), Dr Chiara Sartori (IRCCS Reggio Emilia).