Clin Assoc Prof Chua Mei Chien

Clin Assoc Prof Chua Mei Chien is a neonatologist with passion in optimising early nutrition to improve long-term health outcomes. She established the first and only donor human milk bank in Singapore in 2017 which was accorded multiple cluster and national awards for its clinical impact and service excellence. The milk bank is a mainstream program under MOH since April 2024.

Widely recognised as a domain expert in childhood nutrition and breastfeeding, she currently serves as the President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore) and chairs the National BFHI committee, working closely with the Health Promotion Board to promote breastfeeding at a national level. She also serves in the Sale of Infant Foods Ethics Committee Singapore (SIFECS) and is a member of the Safe Food Agency (SFA) novel food safety expert working group. She advocates for the health of children in Singapore as the President of the College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Singapore.

Her other area of expertise is in patient safety. She serves as the chair of the KKH Medication Safety Committee since 2017 and heads the MMU chapter of the KKH Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Standards (HQPSS) committee.

• MMed/(Paeds) / MRCP(Paeds)(UK), Singapore
• MBBS, Singapore

• Academic Vice Chair (Clinical), Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme (Paeds ACP), KKH, 01 Nov 2023 – Present
• Advisor, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) Steering Committee, KKH, 01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2026
• Chairman, Medication Safety Committee, KKH, Jun 2017 - Present
• Member, SingHealth Medication Safety Workgroup, Aug 2017 - 31 Dec 2026
• Chapter-Lead, Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety Standards (HQPSS) Committee - Medication Management and Use (MMU), KKH, Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
• Advisor, KKH Nutrition Steering Committee, KKH, Apr 2022 - Present
• Member, Pharmacy & Therapeutic Committee, Jun 2017 - Present
• Member, Novel Food Safety Expert Working Group, Singapore Food Agency (SFA), 01 May 2025 - 31 Apr 2027
• President, College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Singapore (CPCHS), Academy of Medicine, Singapore, Jun 2023 – Present
• Member, Search Committee, Academy of Medicine, Singapore, 05 Feb 2025 – Present
• President, Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore), ABAS, 2016 – Present
• Chair, Singapore Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Workgroup, 2010 – Present
• Member, Sale of Infant Food Ethics Committee Singapore (SIFECS), 2010 - Present
• Member, Reviewing Committee for the Medical Humanities Grant, Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme (Paeds ACP), KKH, 01 Mar 2025 - 28 Feb 2027
• Member, Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Research Committee, KKH, Jan 2023 - Present
• Member, Children’s Complex and Home Care Services (CCHS), KKH, Jan 2023 - Dec 2025
• Member, Medical Board, KKH, Jan 2021 - Present
• Committee Member, Perinatal Society of Singapore, Jul 2020 – Present
• Chairman, BFHI Steering Committee, KKH, 2014 - 31 Dec 2024
• Advisor, SingHealth Community Nursing Maternal and Child Health Clinical Workgroup, Jul 2022 - Jun 2024
• Chairman, Food Advertising to Children Committee, Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), 21 Jul 2021 - 30 Jun 2024
• Co-Chair, Transforming Model of Care Steering Committee (SC) – Chronic Paediatrics Care, KKH, Aug 2019 - Mar 2024
• Member, Healthcare Quality and Safety Patient Standards Committee (HQPSS), KKH, Aug 2020 - Dec 2023
• Vice Chairperson, National Medication Safety Committee, MOH, Jul 2020 - Jun 2021
• Lead, Labelling of Injectable Workgroup, MOH, Jul 2017 - Jun 2021

• SingHealth Infection Prevention and Control Forum 2024 - Best Poster ‘Encouraging Pasteurized Donor Human Milk in Infants of HIV-Positive Mothers’, SingHealth, 2024
• Singapore Healthcare Service Quality Award (SHSQA) 2024 - Best Team Award for Patient Service Improvement (KK Human Milk Bank), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, 2024
• KKH World Patient Safety Day 2024 - Outstanding Collaboration-Committee Award (Medication Safety Committee), KKH, 2024
• 11th KKH Scientific Meeting 2024 - Best Poster Award (Allied Health Category) ‘Alternative Fortification of Pasteurised Donor Human Milk: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial’, KKH, 2024
• COVID-19 Resilience Medal (Special National Award) 2023, National Award, 2023
• The 22nd Congress of the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies (FAOPS), 07 to 09 Oct 2023 – Best Congress Award for Oral Presentation – Development and Validation of a Breastfeeding Education and Screening Tool (BEST), FAOPS, 2023
• KKH Target Zero Harm Merit Award (Team Category) 2022 - for Project GROFeeds: Gastric Residual Volume Omission for Feeds in Premature Infants, KKH, 2022
• Singapore Healthcare Management 2022 - First Prize (Communications Category) - Healthy Early Life Moments in Singapore (HELMS) Webinars - A virtual mode of knowledge sharing on Maternal and Child Health topics with Primary Healthcare Professionals (PHP), Singapore Healthcare Management, 2022
• Singapore Healthcare Management 2022 - Third Prize (Risk Management Category) - Managing Risks in Preterm Infants in the Face of a Nutritional Product Recall Crisis, Singapore Healthcare Management, 2022
• National Day Award (NDA) 2021 – Long Service Medal, National Award, 2021
• National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) 2020 – National Clinical Excellence Team Award 2020 (KK Human Milk Bank), National Award, 2020
• Public Sector Transformation Awards 2020 - Dare to Do Award (KK Human Milk Bank), National Award, 2020
• Singapore Health Quality Service Award 2020 - Silver Individual Award, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, 2020
• MOH Appreciation & Awards 2019 – Team Category (National Medication Safety Committee)
• ‘You Shine’ Award 2019 – Team Award (SCN Renovation)
• SingHealth Excellence Award 2019 - Distinguished Team Award (KK Human Milk Bank)
• MOH Appreciation and Awards 2018 - 10-Year Long Service Award (SIFECS)
• Singapore Health Quality Service Awards - Silver Award, 2017
• Human Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) Fellowship Award (Team) for Donor Human Milk Banking, 2016
• KKH-SingHealth - 20 years Long Service Award, 2015
• Service from the Heart (KKH), 2007
• National Excellent Service Award (EXSA) – Gold Award, 2006
• Human Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) Fellowship Award for Neonatology –Gastroenterology, 2004

• Nutrition and growth outcomes
• Breastfeeding
• Milk banking
• Microbiome and metabolic health, the first 1000 days

• Composition of the human milk microbiome in the GUSTO cohort is shaped by intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis and breastfeeding exclusivity. Stinson LF, Pang WW, Rea A, Fok D, Chua MC, Tan KH, Yap F, Godfrey KM, Shek LP, Eriksson JG, Chong Y, Chan S, Wlodek M, Geddes DT. mSystems 0:e00677-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.00677-25
• Breastfeeding and Its Impact on Glucose Trends and Hypoglycaemia Risk in At-Risk Neonates: A Prospective Observational Study. Chan D, Chandran S, Chua MC, Zheng RT, Yap F. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 Sep 3. doi: 10.1111/jpc.70183. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40904045.
• Enhanced versus standard fortification of pasteurized donor human milk for growth in very low birth weight infants: a randomized controlled trial. Ong C, Wong AA, Wong ST, Zheng Y, Pang CPC, Jayagobi PA, Yeo JG, Yeo KT, Chua MC. Front Nutr. 2025 Aug 18;12:1582519. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1582519. PMID: 40901284; PMCID: PMC12400863.
• Efficacy of a mobile app-based intervention to improve eating behaviours and lifestyle in infants of mothers with metabolic risk factors: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial. Chan, D., Leong, K., Ong, C., Ku, C. W., Chan, J. K. Y., Chua, M. C., Yap, F., & Loy, S. L. (2025). BMJ Open, 15(9), e101684. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101684.
• ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants. Gibson RA, Bednarz JM, Sullivan TR, Makrides M, McPhee AJ, Davis PG, Doyle LW, Cheong JL, Travadi J, Tan K, Morris S, Lui K, Bolisetty S, Stark MJ, Thio M, Harris DL, Stack J, Berry M, Rajadurai V, Chua MC, Jayagobi PA, Sharp M, Opie G, Liley H, Gould JF. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Aug;122(2):593-600. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014. Epub 2025 Jul 4. PMID: 40754390.
• Human milk bank services and Islamic milk kinship: pathways and processes for ensuring respect for religious law and tradition in the provision of donor human milk for small vulnerable newborns. Gribble K D, Zambrano R, Omer-Salim A, Chua M C, Hajeebhoy N, Nguyen T T, Pramono A, Mathisen R. Int Breastfeed J, 20, 31 (2025). doi.org/10.1186/s13006-025-00704-w.
• An alternative fortification strategy to optimize growth in preterm infants during a period of human milk fortifier shortage. Qi Yuen Kong, Juin Yee Kong, Mei Chien Chua, Pooja Agarwal Jayagobi. Wee Meng Han, Chengsi Ong. Early Human Development 204 (2025) 106240.
• Food Accessibility and Nutritional Outcomes Among Food-Insecure Pregnant Women in Singapore. Lim, E.J.K.; Ong, C.; Said Abdul Rashid, N.S.; Lee, J.J.-M.; Chew, J.; Chua, M.C. Nutrients 2025, 17, 835. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050835.
• Development and psychometric validation of a clinical instrument for infant feeding and lifestyle evaluation. Daniel Chan, Jiaying Lin, Ruther Teo Zheng, Chengsi Ong, Chee Wai Ku, Benny Kai Guo Loo, Jerry Kok Yen Chan, Mei Chien Chua, Fabian Yap, See Ling Loy. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025;1‐10. doi:10.1002/jpn3.70012.
• Caregiver feeding practices for infants and toddlers and their eating behaviors in Singapore. Quah PL, Chan DWK, Loy SL, Ong C, Tan C-HN, Chia MYH, Chua TBK, Yap F, Chua MC and Tan KH (2025). Front. Nutr. 12:1540031. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1540031
• The prospective associations of fetal growth-related pregnancy complications with subsequent breastfeeding duration and markers of human milk production. Pang, W. W., Geddes, D. T., Lai, C. T., Michael, N., Huang, J., Chan, Y. H., Cheong, C. Y., Fok, D., Pundir, S., Ng, S., Vickers, M. H., Chua, M. C., Tan, K. H., Godfrey, K. M., Shek, L. P., Chong, Y. S., Eriksson, J. G., Chan, S. Y., & Wlodek, M. E. (2025). Am J Clin Nutr, 121(2), 478-487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.11.008.
• Exploring the Use of a Length AI Algorithm to Estimate Children’s Length from Smartphone Images in a Real-World Setting: Algorithm Development and Usability Study. Chua MC, Hadimaja M, Wong J, Mukherjee SS, Foussat A, Chan D, Nandal U, Yap F. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2024;7: e59564 doi: 10.2196/59564 PMID: 39576977.
• Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of paediatric medical officers and registrars on the developmental origins of health and disease in a tertiary women's and children's hospital. Chan, D., Jia Heng, T. Y., Zheng, R. T., Chang, S., Loy, S. L., Ku, C. W., Chua, M. C., & Yap, F. (2024). BMC Med Educ, 24(1), 1097. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06036-3.
• ·A longitudinal study of breastmilk feeding duration, EEG power and early academic skills. Husain, S. F., Lim, S., Pang, W. W., Ong, Y. Y., Fok, D., Rifkin-Graboi, A., Chong, M. F., Chong, Y. S., Chua, M. C., Daniel, L. M., Wlodek, M. E., & Law, E. C. (2024). Early Hum Dev, 198, 106110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106110.
• Promoting breastfeeding in Singapore - a case study. Lee YQ, Lim C, Chng CY, Chua MC, Mary CFF et al. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2024;0:e000887. doi:10.1136/bmjnph-2024-000887.
• Breastfeeding Practices and Postpartum Weight Retention in an Asian Cohort. Loy, S.L., Chan, H.G., Teo, J.X., Chua, M.C., Chay, O.M., & Ng, K.C. (2024). Nutrients, 16, 2172. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132172.
• Strain Resolved Metagenomic Analysis of the Gut as a Reservoir for Bloodstream Infection Pathogens among Premature Infants in Singapore. Heston SM, Lim CSE, Ong C, Chua MC, Kelly MS, Yeo KT. Gut Pathog. 2023 Nov 16;15(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s13099-023-00583-8. PMID: 37974294; PMCID: PMC10652614
• Is Maternal Mental Well-Being in Pregnancy Associated with Breastmilk Composition? Pang, W. W., Chan, Y. H., Geddes, D., Lai, C. T., Chen, H., Broekman, B., Chua, M, C. Tan, K, H.,. . Zhang, C. (2023). Current Developments in Nutrition, 7. 2023.101036.
• The Use of a Growth Artificial Intelligence Algorithm for Length Estimation (Gain) of Children in a Real-World Setting. Wong, J., Mukherjee, S., Yap, F., Chua, M. C., Hadimaja, M., & Foussat, A. (2023). Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 76, 1337.
• Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of health‑care workers about human milk banking in Singapore. Koh NY, Chien CM, Saffari SE, Samuel RV. J Clin Neonatol 2023;12:22-6.
• Effects of an integrated mobile health lifestyle intervention among overweight and obese women planning for pregnancy in Singapore: protocol for the single-arm healthy early life moments in Singapore (HELMS) study. Jerry Kok Yen Chan, Chee Wai Ku, See Ling Loy, Keith M Godfrey, Yiping Fan, Mei Chien Chua, Fabian Yap (2022). BMJ Open 2022;12:e061556.
• A Golden Thread approach to transforming Maternal and Child Health in Singapore. Yap, F., S. L. Loy, C. W. Ku, M. C. Chua, K. M. Godfrey and J. K. Y. Chan (2022). BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 22(1): 561.
• Neutralizing Activity and SARS-COV-2 Vaccine MRNA Persistence in Serum and Breastmilk after BNT162b2 Vaccination in Lactating Women. Yeo KT, Chia WN, Tan CW, Ong C, Yeo JG, Zhang J, Poh SL, Lim AJM, Sim KHZ, Sutamam N, Chua CJH, Albani S, Wang L-F and Chua MC (Jan 2022). Front. Immunol. 12:783975.
• Neonatal Brain and Physiological Reactivity in Preschoolers: An Initial Investigation in an Asian Sample. Tsotsi, S., A. Rifkin-Graboi, J. L. Borelli, Y. S. Chong, V. S. Rajadurai, M. C. Chua, B. Broekman, M. Meaney and A. Qiu (2021). J Psychiatr Res. URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.010.
• A Chatbot to Engage Parents of Preterm and Term Infants on Parental Stress, Parental Sleep, and Infant Feeding: Usability and Feasibility Study. Wong J, Foussat AC, Ting S, Acerbi E, van Elburg RM, Chua MC. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2021;4(4):e30169.
• Association between breastfeeding and sleep patterns in infants and preschool children. Abdul Jafar, N. K., E. K. H. Tham, W. W. Pang, D. Fok, M. C. Chua, O. H. Teoh, D. Y. T. Goh, L. P. Shek, F. Yap, K. H. Tan, P. D. Gluckman, Y. S. Chong, M. J. Meaney, B. F. P. Broekman and S. Cai. Am J Clin Nutr (2021).
• A synbiotic intervention modulates meta-omics signatures of gut redox potential and acidity in elective caesarean born infants. C. Lay, C. W. Chu, R. W. Purbojati, E. Acerbi, D. I. Drautz-Moses, P. F. de Sessions, S. Jie, E. Ho, Y. J. Kok, X. Bi, S. Chen, S. Y. Mak, M. C. Chua, A. E. N. Goh, W. C. Chiang, R. Rao, S. Chaithongwongwatthana, N. Khemapech, V. Chongsrisawat, R. Martin, G. Roeselers, Y. S. Ho, M. L. Hibberd, S. C. Schuster, J. Knol (2021). BMC Microbiol 21(1): 191.
• The association of maternal gestational hyperglycemia with breastfeeding duration and markers of milk production. Pang, W. W., D. T. Geddes, C. T. Lai, S. Y. Chan, Y. H. Chan, C. Y. Cheong, D. Fok, M. C. Chua, S. B. Lim, J. Huang, S. Pundir, K. H. Tan, F. Yap, K. M. Godfrey, P. D. Gluckman, L. P. Shek, M. H. Vickers, J. G. Eriksson, Y. S. Chong, M. E. Wlodek. Am J Clin Nutr (2021).
• Breastfeeding duration and development of dysglycemia in women who had gestational diabetes mellitus: Evidence from the gusto cohort study. Hewage, S. S., X. Y. H. Koh, S. E. Soh, W. W. Pang, D. Fok, S. Cai, F. Müller-Riemenschneider, F. Yap, K. H. Tan, M. C. Chua, S. B. Lim, K. M. Godfrey, M. T. Colega, Y. S. Chong, S. Y. Chan, J. Yoong and M. F. F. Chong (2021). Nutrients 13(2): 1-12.
• Is breastfeeding associated with later child eating behaviours? Wei Wei Pang, Keri McCrickerd, Phaik Ling Quah, Anna Fogel, Izzuddin M. Aris, Wen Lun Yuan, Doris Fok, Mei Chien Chua, Sok Bee Lim, Lynette P. Shek, Shiao-Yng Chan, Kok Hian Tan, Fabian Yap, Keith M. Godfrey, Michael J. Meaney, Mary E. Wlodek, Johan G. Erikssona, Michael S. Kramer, Ciarán G. Forde,,Mary FF Chong, Yap-Seng Chong. Appetite 2020 Jul 1; 150:104653.
• Influence of Mode of Delivery on Cytokine Expression in Cord Blood. Nandanan B, Chua MC, Chiang WC, Goh A, Kumar D, Knippels L, Garssen J, Sandalova E. Hum Immunol. 2019 Mar 26. pii: S0198-8859(19)30174-0.
• Nutrients or Nursing? Understanding how Breast Milk Feeding Affects Child Cognition. Pang WW, Tan PT, Cai S, Fok D, Chua MC, Lim SB, Shek LP, Chan SY, Tan KH, Yap F, Gluckman PD, Godfrey KM, Meaney MJ, Broekman BFP, Kramer MS, Chong YS, Rifkin-Graboi A. EUR J Nutr. 2019 Feb 26.