Human milk mineral intake and serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus in newborn term infants: influence of intrauterine growth restriction.
A prospective case-control study was performed to test the hypothesis that the milk Ca and P contents of term, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborns' mothers differs from that of term, adequate-for-gestational-age (AGA) newborns' mothers. We studied 71 pairs of mothers and newborns, divided into two groups: I (control): 41 pairs of mothers and term AGA newborns and II (study): 30 pairs of mothers and term SGA newborns. This latter group was subdivided according to type (symmetric: birthweight, length and head circumference <10th percentile; asymmetric: birthweight <10th percentile) and severity (<P3: birthweight <3rd percentile and >P3 - <P10: birthweight between 3rd and 10th percentiles) of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Mothers' milk and blood samples were collected for Ca and P analysis using standard techniques (milk on days 3, 15 and 30 postpartum and blood from both the umbilical cord and the newborn on days 15 and 30 of life). There were no differences in blood and human milk Ca and P contents between the two groups. In the study group, milk (p=0.001) and serum (p=0.002) P levels and milk Ca (p=0.002) levels increased during the first month of life. Regarding type and severity of IUGR, milk P levels increased in the IUGR asymmetric and <P3 groups; serum Ca levels increased in the IUGR >P3 - <P10 group.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest a tendency towards differences in human milk between AGA and SGA newborns regarding longitudinal variations.
Mataloun
M M
MM
Nursery Annexed to the Maternity Ward, Child's Institute Prof Pedro de Alcantara, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. mataloun@uol.com.br
Leone
C R
CR
D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D008903:Minerals; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies
D008903:Minerals; D010758:Phosphorus; D002118:Calcium