EFFECT OF POSTPARTUM MATERNAL INFECTION ON PROTEINS AND TRACE-ELEMENTS IN COLOSTRUM AND EARLY MILK

In developing countries, maternal infections during lactation are comm on. In this study, we evaluated the effect of acute maternal postpartu m infection on the composition of colostrum and early milk with specia l emphasis on milk proteins and trace elements. The study was carried out in two maternity hospitals in Lima, Peru. Subjects were normally n ourished women (body mass index (BMI) > 20.0) who intended to exclusiv ely breastfeed their child and who had fever and clinical symptoms of infection within the first 48 h postpartum (n = 34). Non-ill women of similar characteristics were selected as controls (n = 23). Blood and milk samples were taken on days 1 and 14 postpartum. An acute phase re sponse was confirmed by significantly increased serum levels of C-reac tive protein in infected women. Serum zinc levels increased significan tly from day 1 to day 14, but were not affected by infection. Serum co pper levels were significantly higher in ill women than in non-ill wom en on day 1. All participating women were breastfeeding on day 14. Whe y protein levels, the whey/casein ratio and total protein levels decre ased significantly with time, but were not affected by infection. Ther e were no differences in milk iron or copper levels with time or infec tion. Milk zinc levels decreased significantly with time, but were not affected by infection. Maternal infection during the early postpartum period does not appear to adversely affect the initiation of lactatio n or milk protein and trace element contents.