COVID-19 Antibodies Persist in Breast Milk for Up to 10 Months

Infants Develop COVID-19 Protective Shield... Potential Use as a Spray-Form Treatment

(Photo by Getty Images)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] It has been revealed that COVID-19 antibodies remain in the breast milk of mothers who have overcome COVID-19 for up to 10 months. This means that antibodies can be passed on to newborns through breastfeeding.

A research team at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, USA, collected breast milk from 75 mothers who had recovered from COVID-19 to examine the presence of antibodies. As a result, 88% showed a positive antibody response. Further laboratory testing by the researchers found that most of the breast milk with positive antibody responses had virus-neutralizing effects. This creates a partial protective shield against COVID-19 for infants.

According to the research team, mothers consistently produced COVID-19 antibodies called Immunoglobulin A (IgA) over a long period. The researchers compared breast milk samples from 28 mothers, dividing them into those collected 4 to 6 weeks after infection and those collected 4 to 10 months after infection. The observation revealed that antibodies remained at a significant level in breast milk for up to 10 months.

Immunoglobulin A is present in mucous membranes such as the intestines, airways, and urethra, preventing pathogen infections. It is also found in saliva, tears, and breast milk.

This differs from Immunoglobulin G (IgG), which is mainly found in blood and is activated by pathogen infections or vaccinations.

About half of the mothers showed relatively high levels of COVID-19 antibodies in their breast milk for an extended period. This is rare, as antibody levels in the blood are known to decrease over time.

The results of this study were submitted to the 15th Global Breastfeeding Symposium, held online on the 21st and 22nd (Central European Standard Time).

Dr. Rebecca Powell of Mount Sinai Hospital, who led the study, told the British daily The Guardian, "COVID-19 antibodies in breast milk could provide an ingenious treatment," adding, "Immunoglobulin A is present in mucous membranes such as the airways and functions well." This implies it could be used as a spray-type treatment.