Breast is best?

Abstract

Human milk is considered the preferred nutritional source for the preterm infant. When mother's milk is not available, pasteurized donor milk can be an alternative choice. In this issue of The Journal, Valentine et al examine the effects of pasteurization on the nutritional content of donor milk. The authors did not find any significant effect of the pasteurization process on the total amino acid and fatty acid contents in donor milk. However, they note that the concentration of the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in their US Mid-West donor milk population was less than one-half the DHA content previously reported in milk obtained from other women eating “western” diets (and strikingly less than women eating fish-predominant diets). DHA has important developmental benefits for preterm infants. Prior work has pointed out that exclusively breast milk fed preterm infants are at risk for incomplete DHA accumulation by term-corrected age. Although human milk is frequently fortified, supplementation of DHA is not commonly provided. The current study highlights how regional differences in maternal diets can put infants at even greater risk for DHA deficiency. Article page 906 ▸ Docosahexaenoic Acid and Amino Acid Contents in Pasteurized Donor Milk are Low for Preterm InfantsThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 157Issue 6PreviewTo evaluate whether pasteurized donor human milk meets the nutritional needs of preterm infants in terms of free fatty acid and amino acid contents. Full-Text PDF