Abstract
Reports suggest that women who deliver prematurely produce milk containing a greater concentration(conc)of protein(pro)than those who deliver at term. These studies compare the nutrient content of pooled milk collections from several days or isolated spot collections rather than directly comparing nutrient parameters measured in individual 24hr collections. In this study, to control for variables related to collection method,the 24hr milk production on postpartum days 3,7and 14 was analyzed for pro,carbohydrate(CHO), fat and energy(Kcal). Milk was collected from 14 preterm(PT)and 8 term(T)mothers; mean±SD, gestation, 31±1.8 and 39±1 weeks respectively. A similar range of nutrient conc in the 24hr collections was measured in both groups. Direct comparison of the T and PT data at postpartum days 3,7and 14 show no significant differences in milk nutrient and/or energy content. The linear regression lines for T and PT data comparing pro vs days postpartum had b=2.32 and 2.28 and m=.09 and .07 respectively. Thus, while the nutrient composition of breast milk may be specifically tailored to the needs of the human infant, these data do not confirm the previous suggestions that its nutrient and energy composition varies significantly with length of pregnancy.
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Anderson, P., Pittard, W., Shulroan, P. et al. 507 COMPARATIVE NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF HUMAN MILK. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 525 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00520
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00520