title: [Human milk, immune responses and health effects].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Besides providing optimal nutrition to infants, human milk contains a multitude of immunological components. These components are important for protection against infections and also support the development and maturation of the infant's own immune system. This review focuses on the function of some classical immunocomponents of human milk. Relevant studies are presented that describe health benefits of human milk for the child and of lactation for the mother.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant articles were found mainly by searching PubMed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Humoral and cellular components of human milk confer protection against infections in the respiratory--, gastrointestinal--and urinary tract. Human milk also protects premature children from neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. There is evidence that human milk may confer long-term benefits such as lower risk of certain autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and probably some malignancies. Human milk possibly affects components of the metabolic syndrome. Recent studies demonstrate long-term health benefits of lactation also for the mother. A reduced incidence of breast cancer is best documented. An increasing number of studies indicate protection against ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and type II diabetes.
authors: Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for amming, Kvinneklinikken, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet, 0027 Oslo. beate.fossum.loland@rikshospitalet.no
authors: Beate Fossum
authors: BF
authors: Løland
authors: Anne B
authors: AB
authors: Baerug
authors: Gro
authors: G
authors: Nylander
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000276:immunology*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*