Chemical composition of human milk in poor Indian women
Belavady, B.; Gopalan, C.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 47(2): 234-245
1959
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 13653755 Document Number: 518188
One hundred and ninety one samples of milk obtained from poor Indian mothers have been analyzed for total solids, fat, protein, lactose, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, total mineral matter, Ca, P, Na, K, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn. Twenty samples of milk from 12 mothers in different trimesters of pregnancy were also analyzed. The samples of milk obtained within the first 10 days showed high values for total solids, protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin C, mineral matter, Ca and P while thiamine was lower. The proximate principles compared well with the reported values from countries with better diets, but the vitamins were low. After the 1st month of lactation, neither the stage of lactation nor the parity of the mother seemed to affect the chemical composition of milk significantly. There was no correlation between hemoglobin levels of the mothers and the Fe concentration in the milk. Treatment of mothers with Fe orally brought about an increase in hemoglobin levels which was accompanied by a decrease in the Fe concentration of milk. The milk from pregnant mothers showed a striking increase in the protein concentration in a number of samples. Vitamin C concentration appeared to be somewhat higher and Ca appreciably lower than those observed in non-pregnant mothers in comparable stages of lactation.