Breastfeeding in the womb

Biologists from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, are studying the eelpout species (photos) with a unique way of raising children: Breastfeeding within the mother's belly.

Fish eelpout is distributed mainly in coastal areas throughout Europe, giving birth after 6 months of pregnancy. They usually give birth in the winter when the water temperature is very cold. For other normal offspring, juveniles will eat egg yolk in the embryo to grow, while the baby eelpout will be fed by the mother in the embryo. After consuming the egg yolk in the embryo, each embryo will attach to an ovary follicle in the maternal abdomen. There is a tip and baby fish through this tip to suck liquids, nutrients and saturated oxygen to help them grow well.

It is thanks to this unique way of breeding that the mother eelpout can ensure even distribution of nutrients to the fry as well as the generation of fish with very large and healthy quantities.