Divya Sinha Parikh MD, IBCLC, FAAP is a board certified pediatrician practicing in Columbus, OH. She received her medical training at The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and completed her residency in general pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at Case Western Reserve University. During residency, she created a breastfeeding medicine clinical rotation.
Within her practice, she has extensive experience managing lactation concerns and has taken a special interest in mentoring current and aspiring breastfeeding providers. She has presented her work at local and national meetings.
Rachel Walker received her master’s degree in exercise science and wellness from Old Dominion University and a PhD in nutritional sciences from Penn State University. Her PhD work focused on lipid metabolism and insulin resistance. She has over 3 years of experience teaching both nutrition and exercise science courses.
In 2020, she was selected for a research fellowship from the United States Department of Agriculture for her study, ‘The Role of Metabolic Health and Lipid Metabolism in Human Lactation and Milk Composition’. Her current research is focused on the effects of insulin resistance during pregnancy and lactation, especially with the goal of developing therapies to improve lactation.
She has presented her research at numerous national meetings. Rachel’s proudest achievement is becoming Mommy to her 3 children, Clark, Lee, and Nora.
The fat content of breastmilk is remarkably important for infant health outcomes. Therefore, it is important to understand what factors affect breastmilk fat profile. Total fat is the main determinant of energy in breastmilk, and varies with time of day, length of lactation, and duration of the feed. Maternal factors also influence milk fat, including BMI, parity, and diabetes. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, like docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, are vital to the structure and development of the infant brain, and attaining the correct balance is important for optimal development. Breastmilk fatty acid concentration, especially the polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, are vital to infant brain development. Fatty acid concentrations primarily depend on diet and vary significantly between populations, but other maternal factors can also affect the fatty acid content of breastmilk.
Breastmilk fat content has significant implications for clinical practice. First, it is necessary to optimize clinical methods for human milk fat measurement, such as bedside human milk analyzers. Second, understanding milk fat variation will help optimize breastmilk fortification for infants in neonatal intensive care units. Finally, variability in donor milk also makes estimation of fat and energy in milk banks difficult, with important clinical implications for preterm infants who cannot receive mother’s own milk.
To Continue, Please Select Your Country of Residence
Whoops! Please select your Country before clicking "Submit"
The GOLD Learning Lecture Library is a unique & convenient resource for Healthcare Professionals, Researchers, Students and other Educators looking to stay up to date on the latest evidence-based skills and practices. Country Category pricing has been determined by World Bank Economic Indicators. Proof of residency may be requested. Learn more about our Category Pricing Here.
GOLD Learning Speakers
