Colostrum Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2012;34(8):362-368
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000800004
PURPOSE: To determine the nutritional status of vitamin E in breastfeeding women through the analysis of alpha-tocopherol concentration in serum and colostrum, to analyze its relation with maternal variables and to determine the prevalence of vitamin E deficiency in these women. METHODS: The study included 103 mothers who were classified according to maternal variables: age, nutritional status before pregnancy, gestational weight gain, parity and mode of delivery. Colostrum and serum samples were collected under fasting conditions in the immediate postpartum period. Alpha-tocopherol was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A serum cutoff of 697.7 μg/dL was adopted to define the nutritional status of vitamin E. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t test for independent samples and Pearson's correlation. Differences were significant when p<0.05. RESULTS: The average concentration of alpha-tocopherol was 1.125±551.0 μg/dL in colostrum and 1,138.6±346.0 μg/dL in serum, indicating adequate biochemical nutritional status. However, when analyzing the mothers individually, a 16% rate of subclinical vitamin E deficiency was detected. Women undergoing cesarean delivery had significantly higher alpha-tocopherol levels in colostrum (1.280±591 μg/dL) compared with those undergoing normal delivery (961.7±370 μg/dL) (p<0.05). It was found that mothers who were overweight before pregnancy had higher vitamin concentration in colostrum (1,331.5±548 μg/dL) when compared to underweight women (982.1±374 μg/dL) or women of normal weight (992.3±346 μg/dL) (p<0.05). However, the other variables were not associated with alpha-tocopherol in colostrum. Moreover, no variable showed association with vitamin E levels in maternal serum and no correlation was demonstrated between the alpha-tocopherol levels in serum and in milk. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the diagnosis of satisfactory nutritional status, breastfeeding women showed significant risk of subclinical vitamin E deficiency. We suggest that the concentration of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum be associated with type of delivery and pre-gestational nutritional status of women.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2012;34(8):362-368
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000800004
PURPOSE: To determine the nutritional status of vitamin E in breastfeeding women through the analysis of alpha-tocopherol concentration in serum and colostrum, to analyze its relation with maternal variables and to determine the prevalence of vitamin E deficiency in these women. METHODS: The study included 103 mothers who were classified according to maternal variables: age, nutritional status before pregnancy, gestational weight gain, parity and mode of delivery. Colostrum and serum samples were collected under fasting conditions in the immediate postpartum period. Alpha-tocopherol was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A serum cutoff of 697.7 μg/dL was adopted to define the nutritional status of vitamin E. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t test for independent samples and Pearson's correlation. Differences were significant when p<0.05. RESULTS: The average concentration of alpha-tocopherol was 1.125±551.0 μg/dL in colostrum and 1,138.6±346.0 μg/dL in serum, indicating adequate biochemical nutritional status. However, when analyzing the mothers individually, a 16% rate of subclinical vitamin E deficiency was detected. Women undergoing cesarean delivery had significantly higher alpha-tocopherol levels in colostrum (1.280±591 μg/dL) compared with those undergoing normal delivery (961.7±370 μg/dL) (p<0.05). It was found that mothers who were overweight before pregnancy had higher vitamin concentration in colostrum (1,331.5±548 μg/dL) when compared to underweight women (982.1±374 μg/dL) or women of normal weight (992.3±346 μg/dL) (p<0.05). However, the other variables were not associated with alpha-tocopherol in colostrum. Moreover, no variable showed association with vitamin E levels in maternal serum and no correlation was demonstrated between the alpha-tocopherol levels in serum and in milk. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the diagnosis of satisfactory nutritional status, breastfeeding women showed significant risk of subclinical vitamin E deficiency. We suggest that the concentration of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum be associated with type of delivery and pre-gestational nutritional status of women.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010;32(7):340-345
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010000700006
PURPOSE: to relate the cadmium concentration of colostrum with the lifestyle of women in the puerperium period. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted in Goiânia, Goiás (Mid-western Region of Brazil). Eighty women, according to inclusion criteria, were interviewed about their socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle. They answered a questionnaire about food frequency consumption (FFQ). The colostrum samples collected were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry to quantify cadmium levels. For statistical analysis, central tendency measures were obtained, and the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed, as well as correlation and regression tests. RESULTS: the average cadmium concentration was 2.3 µg/L and the median was 0.9 µg/L. Variables such as age and parity showed a nonsignificant positive correlation with cadmium. Smoking habit was not significantly associated with cadmium. CONCLUSIONS: postpartum food intake influences the level of cadmium in colostrum, especially vegetables such as cereals.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010;32(7):340-345
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010000700006
PURPOSE: to relate the cadmium concentration of colostrum with the lifestyle of women in the puerperium period. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted in Goiânia, Goiás (Mid-western Region of Brazil). Eighty women, according to inclusion criteria, were interviewed about their socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle. They answered a questionnaire about food frequency consumption (FFQ). The colostrum samples collected were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry to quantify cadmium levels. For statistical analysis, central tendency measures were obtained, and the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed, as well as correlation and regression tests. RESULTS: the average cadmium concentration was 2.3 µg/L and the median was 0.9 µg/L. Variables such as age and parity showed a nonsignificant positive correlation with cadmium. Smoking habit was not significantly associated with cadmium. CONCLUSIONS: postpartum food intake influences the level of cadmium in colostrum, especially vegetables such as cereals.