[Maternal age as conditioning factor of vitamin E levels in the third trimester of pregnancy and in breast milk].
BACKGROUND
Since pregnancy in older women is becoming more common, the aim of this work was to determine the influence of maternal age on third trimester maternal vitamin E status, and on vitamin E levels in maternal milk.


METHODS
The pregnancies and lactation periods of 57 women were examined. The intake of vitamin E during the third trimester of pregnancy was determined using a 5 days food record. Vitamin E concentrations in serum, transition milk (days 13 and 14 of lactation) and mature milk (day 40 of lactation) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).


RESULTS
Pregnant women < 32 years of age (90th percentile) showed significantly higher serum vitamin E levels (1.46 [0.38] mg/dl) than older pregnant women (1.19 [0.24] mg/dl). Transition milk vitamin E levels were significantly lower in pregnant women > or = 29 years of age (75th percentile) than did younger pregnant women (1.7 [0.4] mg/l compared to 2.0 [0.7] mg/l).


CONCLUSIONS
Given that serum vitamin E levels were seen to fall in pregnancy and in transition milk, when maternal age increase, the monitoring of maternal nutritional status is highly recommendable. Antioxidant supplements, especially vitamin E, might be prescribed for older, pregnant women.
Ortega
R M
RM
Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Complutense, Madrid. rortega@eucmax.sim.ucm.es
Martínez
R M
RM
López-Sobaler
A M
AM
Quintas
E
E
Andres
P
P
Requejo
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*
D014810:Vitamin E