title: [Studies on transfer of vitamin K into human breast milk].
abstract: We studied whether the administration of vitamin K to mothers could increase the concentration of vitamin K in breast milk and prevent idiopathic vitamin K deficient bleeding in breast-feeding infants. Sixty puerperal women were divided into three groups, the control group, Menaquinone-4 (MK-4) administered group and vitamin K1 administered group. We measured the concentrations of vitamin K1, MK-4 and MK-7 in maternal plasma and breast milk on the fourth day after delivery. In the MK-4 group, the concentrations of MK-4(2.13 ng/ml in plasma, 49.3 ng/ml in milk) were significantly higher than in the control group (0.28 ng/ml, 1.51 ng/ml). In the vitamin K1 group, the concentrations of vitamin K1 (49.0 ng/ml in plasma, 71.6 ng/ml in milk) were significantly higher than in the control group (1.17 ng/ml, 2.41 ng/ml). The concentration rates (milk/plasma ratio) of vitamin K1, MK-4 and MK-7 were 2.52, 5.43 and 0.52 in the control group, 1.60, 40.2 and 0.67 in the MK-4 group and 1.65, 10.8 and 0.71 in the vitamin K1 group, respectively. The concentration rate of MK-4 was higher than that of vitamin K1 and was increased by MK-4 administration. After delivery, the daily concentration of MK-4 in milk was increased from 1.69 ng/ml on the first day to 49.3 ng/ml on the fourth day in the MK-4 group. These results indicate that MK-4 is accumulated and concentrated into breast milk, and continuous MK-4 administration can increase the concentration of vitamin K in milk, preventing idiopathic vitamin K deficient bleeding in infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terao
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010837:Vitamin K 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D024482:Vitamin K 2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014813:Vitamin K Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D024482:Vitamin K 2; D014812:Vitamin K; C030814:menatetrenone; D010837:Vitamin K 1