Colostrum TGF-beta-1 associates with the duration of breast-feeding.
BACKGROUND
Several stressful environmental factors are associated with short-term breast-feeding. A high concentration of sodium in colostrum has predicted early failure.


OBJECTIVE
We studied the association of growth factors in colostrum and the length of breast-feeding (BF).


METHODS
We measured concentrations of TGF-beta1 and -beta2; epidermal growth factor, total protein, and sodium and compared their concentrations in colostral samples from mothers who either breast-fed their infants exclusively less than 0.5 months (n = 109) or longer than 3.5 months (n = 119).


RESULTS
In the short BF group more mothers smoked and were primiparous more frequently and had less often a university education. They also provided the colostral samples significantly later than did those with long BF. Geometric mean concentration for TGF-beta1 was 1.9 times as high in the samples from short BF mothers as in those with long BF; significant difference remained in comparisons of samples taken equally long postpartum. Samples from the short BF group showed higher levels for sodium, TGF-beta2 and total protein, whereas concentrations of epidermal growth factor were similar between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We thus infer that concentrations of factors in breast milk with an effect on the development and involution of the mammary gland, like TGF-beta1 in milk, may be one of many biological factors having an impact on the successful initiation of breast-feeding.
Savilahti
Erkki
E
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, POB 281, 00029 HUS (Helsinki), Finland. erkki.savilahti@hus.fi
Saarinen
Kristiina M
KM
D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D004522:Educational Status; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D008894:Milk Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D012964:Sodium