New wearable smart sensors to protect babies from overexposure to painkillers

Acetaminophen, commonly used for postpartum pain management, is also frequently given to babies to treat fever, leading to potential double-dosing through both direct administration and indirectly through breastfeeding.

The drug is the leading cause of acute liver failure in children and the most frequent reason for liver transplants in the US.

The acetaminophen sensor, developed by researchers at the University of Southern California in the US gets incorporated into an ordinary nursing pad and detects acetaminophen in breast milk.

For nursing babies with immature liver metabolism, the presence of acetaminophen in breast milk poses additional risks, said the team in the paper described in the scientific journal Device.

“Lactating mothers face unique health challenges, including nutritional deficiencies, the risk of developing mastitis -- a breast-tissue infection -- and the potential transfer of medications and other substances through their milk,” said Maral Mousavi, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, at the varsity.

While the currently available methods for measuring levels of acetaminophen or other ingredients in milk are costly, complex, and unavailable for routine use in the home, the team zeroed in on lactation pads -- worn inside a bra to absorb leaking milk.

The researchers took a simple lactation pad and built tiny microfluidic channels to guide milk to the sensing area. The pads collect milk naturally released during the let-down reflex throughout the day. There, low-cost electrochemical sensors work, detecting and measuring important health markers in the milk.

The sensor then sends real-time readings to the user’s smartphone via a compact, portable detector that works similarly to a glucometer, using electrical pulses to measure levels of acetaminophen.

With this information, users can make informed decisions -- such as choosing to pump and discard milk-containing medication -- ensuring safer feeding for their baby.

Researchers tested the accuracy of the sensor using human milk samples containing various levels of acetaminophen. They also verified that the sensor worked in the presence of antibiotics as well as throughout the changing composition of breast milk, from colostrum to mature milk.