Abstract
The effect of the stage of lactation on the composition of preterm milk has been closely monitored, but little attention has been given to the degree of prematurity. Fifty-six samples of 24 h milk collections obtained from mothers who delivered after gestations of 26-31 wk (VPT) contained higher concentrations of nitrogen (297 ± 11 mg/dl), total fatty acids (4.46 ± 1.7 g/dl), % medium chain fatty acids (10.8 ± 0.7) and energy (76.6 ± 2.0 kcal/dl) than either or both those from 32-36 wk (PT) and term (T) gestations. PT collections did not differ from T milk with regard to nitrogen (250 ± 13 vs 259 ± 13), total fatty acids (3.94 ± 2.0 vs 3.20 ± 3.0), % medium chain fatty acids (9.1 ± 0.5 vs 8.1 ± 0.7) and energy (68.2 ± 2.8 vs 65.3 ± 2.3). Although post-partum age (5-10 d vs 11-30 d) did not change the nutrient and energy content of VPT, PT and T collections, it is only in 11-20 d VPT milk that nitrogen and energy content became higher (p<.05) than either or both PT and T milk. Sequential milk collections over the first post-partum month from a mother having given birth at 28 weeks showed non parallel changes in nitrogen and fatty acids. We conclude that the nutrient advantage of preterm milk is largely limited to VPT milk and caution that there may be considerable variability in its composition.
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Lepage, G., Collet, S., Bouglé, D. et al. THE COMPOSITION OF PRETERM MILK IN RELATION TO THE DEGREE OF PREMATURITY. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 203 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00662
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00662