Macronutrient composition in human milk from mothers of preterm and term neonates is highly variable during the lactation period

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the macronutrient content of human milk during the first 28 days of lactation of mothers who delivered preterm infants, and to compare preterm to term milk. MethodsA prospective and longitudinal study of mothers at various stages of lactation was conducted in the Amiens-Picardie University Hospital (France). Fat, true protein, carbohydrate and energy contents were estimated in human milk collected from each participant. ResultsMacronutrients in human milk were: fat (g/100 mL), 3.36±1.01; true protein ( g/100 mL), 1.34±0.61; carbohydrate ( g/100 mL), 7.23±0.68; energy (kcal/100 mL), 72.97±9.21 for extremely preterm human milk; fat (g/100 mL), 3.47±1.14; true protein (g/100 mL) 1.32±0.63; carbohydrate g/100 mL), 7.28±1.10; energy (kcal/100 mL), 76.18±12.84 for very preterm human milk; fat (g/100 mL), 3.48±0.87; true protein (g/100 mL), 1.26±0.46; carbohydrate (g/100 mL), 7.36±0.47; energy (kcal/100 mL), 76.47±8.21 for moderate preterm human milk; fat (g/mL), 3.48±1.57; true protein (g/100 mL), 1.23±1.03; carbohydrate (g/100 mL), 7.36±0.63; energy (kcal/100 mL), 76.56±13.57 for term human milk. ConclusionMarked variations in macronutrient contents were observed between preterm and term human milk. The macronutrient score of extremely and moderate preterm human milk versus term human milk was significant, p=0.0001.