Evivo Survey Identifies Moms' Misperceptions About Breast Milk and Baby Gut Microbiome

DAVIS, Calif., July 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Evivo, the first and only clinically proven probiotic designed to restore a baby's gut microbiome to its original, natural state, today announced the results of a new survey, Breast Milk and Beyond, which revealed that most moms are unaware they aren't fully utilizing their 'liquid gold'. The survey was conducted June 26 – 28, 2017 among 1,006 mothers, women with children six years and younger in the household, in advance of World Breastfeeding Week, Aug 1 – 7, 2017.

Without Good Bacteria in Baby's Gut, Up to 15% of Key Nutrients in Breast Milk is Wasted

According to the Evivo survey, 96% of moms don't know just how much of the nutrients found in breast milk are used by the baby's body. While baby should use every bit of breast milk, today, special carbohydrates – 15% of breast milk nutrients – are wasted. That's because B. infantis, a beneficial bacteria, is now all but missing in U.S. babies.

Historically, babies received B. infantis from their mothers during the birthing process. 79% of moms believe mom is transferring good gut bacteria to baby, however due to the unintentional consequences of antibiotics, C-section births, and the increase in formula-feeding, B. infantis has disappeared from baby's gut over the last 100 years. Without a B. infantis-enriched gut microbiome to fight off potentially harmful bacteria, baby's gut is more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases such as eczema, asthma, allergies, diabetes and obesity later in life.

The First Six Months Are Key

According to the survey, 46% didn't recognize the importance of the first six months of life in the development of a baby's gut microbiome. While it's recommended that mothers breastfeed their babies during the first six months of life, research from UC Davis shows there's even greater reason to breastfeed due to the unique relationship between breast milk and the establishment of beneficial B. infantis. If B. infantis is thriving in the baby's gut, the baby is more likely to develop a healthy metabolism and immune system later in life. In fact, 45% of moms didn't even consider their baby's gut when they fed them.

"The results of the Evivo survey demonstrate that we still have more educating to do to help mothers understand the important connection between the baby gut microbiome, breast milk and lifelong health," said Dr. Tanya Altmann, MD, and Evivo spokeswoman. "The more we discover about breast milk and its role in developing a healthy gut microbiome, the more we need to encourage moms to maximize every bit of their liquid gold."

Evivo commissioned the survey in advance of World Breastfeeding Week. For more information or to learn how Evivo restores the baby gut to its original, natural state, or to purchase Evivo, please visit www.evivo.com.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by Radius Global Market Research on behalf of Evivo during June 26 – 28, 2017. The company collected responses from 1,006 mothers of a child under 6 living in the household.

About the Company Behind Evivo – Evolve BioSystems

Evolve BioSystems, Inc. is a privately-held microbiome company dedicated to developing the next generation of products to establish, restore, and maintain a healthy newborn gut microbiome. Evolve is a spin-out from the Foods for Health Institute (FFHI) at the University of California, Davis and builds on more than a decade of research into understanding the unique partnership of the infant gut microbiome and breast milk components. Having led to the discovery and development of products to resolve infant gut dysbiosis, Evolve's discovery platform is now being applied to solving gut dysbiosis throughout the human life cycle. Evolve completed a $9 million Series A capital raise in 2015, followed by an additional $20 million Series B capital raise in May 2017. Evolve has now completed a landmark proof-of-concept study demonstrating the efficacy of its initial proprietary offering, and is undertaking further clinical studies to build out a portfolio of microbiome-based solutions to support the lifelong health of newborns worldwide. 

SOURCE Evolve BioSystems, Inc.