Cellular and humoral factors of human milk in relation to nutritional status in lactating mothers
Narula, P.; Mittal, S.K.; Gupta, S.; Saha, K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 76: 415-423
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 7174032 Document Number: 79
Colostrum and milk samples collected from 122 Indian lactating mothers were studied for cellular and humoral immunologic factors for 6 mo. following childbirth, in relation to their nutritional status. The mean IgA, IgG and IgM levels in the colostrum were 331, 17 and 58 mg/dl, respectively, while their average total cell, lymphocyte and macrophage counts were 2906, 813 and 1581/mm3, respectively. All these levels decreased rapidly during the first 7 days of lactation and gradually for the next 6 mo. The relative ratios of the various Ig levels remained unaltered at all times during lactation. The lymphocyte count of the colostrum increased significantly along with parity, but its Ig content was independent of the number of pregnancies. The total cell count (3450/mm3) in the colostrum of well nourished mothers was significantly higher than that (2420/mm3) in the undernourished and showed a direct positive correlation with the serum albumin levels and the colostral cell counts. The cell counts in the milk of the well nourished group was higher at all periods of lactation. The Ig levels were not remarkably different in the 2 groups. The dietary habits of the mothers had no influence on the cellular and humoral immunologic parameters of colostrum.
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