Dietary selenium intake and selenium concentrations of plasma, erythrocytes, and breast milk in pregnant and postpartum lactating and nonlactating women.
The selenium status of a group of 23 lactating and 13 nonlactating women was assessed from 37-wk gestation through 6-mo postpartum. The mean overall dietary Se intake of both groups of women was 80 +/- 37 micrograms/d. Plasma and erythrocyte Se levels were lower in the lactating than in the nonlactating mothers both before and after parturition. Breast-milk Se concentrations fell from 20 micrograms/L (0.25 mumol/L) at 1-mo postpartum to 15 micrograms/L (0.19 mumol/L) at 3- and 6-mo postpartum. A weak (r = 0.38) but statistically significant (p less than 0.025) relationship was observed between maternal plasma Se level and breast-milk Se concentration. The dietary Se intake of these lactating North American women appears sufficient to maintain satisfactory Se nutriture in their breast-fed infants during the first 6 mo of lactation.
Levander
O A
OA
Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Moser
P B
PB
Morris
V C
VC
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism
D012643:Selenium