Maternal vitamin E status during the third trimester of pregnancy in Spanish women: Influence on breast milk vitamin E concentration

A prospective, observational study was made into the effects of vitamin E i ntake on serum levels of the same during the third trimester of pregnancy, and on breast milk vitamin E levels. The study subjects were a group of 57 healthy, lactating mothers between 18 and 35 years of age. Vitamin E intake was determined during the third trimester of pregnancy using a 5-day dieta ry record (including a Sunday) and by recording the quantities provided by supplements. HPLC was used to determine vitamin E concentrations in materna l serum, transitional milk (days 13-14 of lactation) and mature milk (day 4 0 of lactation). Only 3.5% of subjects took vitamin E supplements during pr egnancy. The addition of this intake to that provided by the diet produced no notable change in the results. 68.4% of third trimester subjects took <7 5% of the recommended intake of vitamin E (including both dietary intake an d supplements) (n=39) (Group L). The newborn of these subjects had poorer 5 th minute Apgar scores than did those of subjects who took greater amounts of vitamin E (Group H). Mean serum tocopherol levels were somewhat greater in pregnant subjects with vitamin E intakes greater than or equal to 75% of recommended, though this difference was not significant. However, transiti on milk vitamin E levels were significantly better in H subjects. Subjects with vitamin E/PUFA ratios <1 (75th percentile) showed lower mature milk vi tamin E concentrations (2.16+/-0.70 mu mol/L compared to 3.90+/-1.02 mu mol /L in subjects with ratios greater than or equal to 1). The results obtaine d seem to support the idea that vitamin E and PUFA intakes in pregnancy con ditioned levels of vitamin E in transitional breast milk. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.