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Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Milk Collection in the Rat Using Capillary Tubes and Estimation of Milk Fat Content by Creamatocrit
07:38

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Published on: December 16, 2015

Maternal Nutritional Status and Breastmilk Composition.

Andrew M Prentice1

  • 1MRC Unit The Gambia @ London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia, andrew.prentice@lshtm.ac.uk.

Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism
|June 12, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Breastmilk composition varies significantly between mothers, impacting infant nutrition. While some nutrients like protein and carbohydrate are stable, others like vitamins and fatty acids reflect maternal diet and status, highlighting the need for updated reference values.

Keywords:
BreastmilkInfant nutritionLactationMacronutrientsMaternal nutritionMicronutrients

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Area of Science:

  • Human lactation and infant nutrition
  • Maternal health and its impact on milk composition
  • Nutritional biochemistry of breast milk

Background:

  • Infant nutrient requirements are often estimated from average breast milk intake, assuming breast milk is an ideal food.
  • This assumption is debatable for certain nutrients, like iron, and doesn't account for inter-individual variation in milk composition.
  • Maternal diet, nutritional status, and supplementation significantly influence breast milk nutrient levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how maternal factors influence the nutritional composition of human breast milk.
  • To compare current breast milk composition with established infant nutrient requirements.
  • To highlight recent findings and updated reference values for breast milk nutrients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on breast milk composition and maternal nutritional influences.
  • Analysis of recent studies providing updated breast milk nutrient data.
  • Comparison of breast milk nutrient profiles with infant nutritional needs.

Main Results:

  • Proximate milk composition (protein, carbohydrate) is largely insensitive to maternal nutrition, but fatty acid profile varies with maternal diet.
  • Water-soluble vitamins generally reflect maternal intake and status, readily increasing with supplementation, except for folate.
  • Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K) are moderately diet-sensitive; milk iodine and selenium levels show significant geographical variation due to soil content.
  • Recent data from the MILQ Study provide new reference values for breast milk composition.

Conclusions:

  • Human milk composition is variable and may not always perfectly meet infant requirements.
  • Maternal diet and status are key determinants for several breast milk nutrients, including vitamins and fatty acids.
  • Updated reference values are crucial for accurate assessment of infant nutrition based on breast milk intake.