Effects of antenatal breast milk expression on maternal and infant outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhongyan Cao, Meiling Huang, Ying Liu, Jinzhu Yin, Xinyan Zhao · 2026
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Description
Zhongyan Cao and colleagues tested whether expressing breast milk before birth helps breastfeeding after birth. Published in 2026, the systematic review searched eleven databases through January 2026, pooling eleven randomized trials with 1,571 women, eight of them in meta-analysis. Antenatal expression aims to promote breastfeeding, but its safety and benefit were unsettled.
Women who expressed milk before birth faced far lower odds of delayed copious milk secretion beyond seventy-two hours, with about one case prevented per eight women treated. They were also far more likely to breastfeed exclusively in the first day and at one to four weeks. Maternal and infant safety outcomes did not differ from standard care. The authors back antenatal expression as effective and safe, with trial quality caveats noted.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Zhongyan Cao, Meiling Huang, Ying Liu, Jinzhu Yin, Xinyan Zhao |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 48 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |