Lactoferrin concentration in breast milk of mothers of low-birth-weight newborns

Objectives:lactoferrin (lf) is a breast milk glycoprotein with protective effects against neonatal infections, mainly in premature and low-birth-weight (lbw) neonates. the aims of this study were to determine lf concentration in breast milk of mothers of lbw infants during the first 2 months postpartum, and to identify the factors associated with lf concentration.study design:prospective study conducted as a part of an ongoing clinical trial in three neonatal units in peru. we included 346 mothers of neonates with a birth weight <2000 g. we measured lf concentration in four stages of lactation using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. multivariate analysis was performed to assess the association between maternal and neonatal factors, and lf concentration.results:we collected 695 milk samples. lf mean concentration±standard deviation was 14.92±7.96 mg ml−1 in colostrum (n=277), 10.73±5.67 in transitional milk (n=55), 10.34±6.27 at 1 month (n=259) and 8.52±6.47 at 2 months (n=104). there was a significant difference in lf concentration between different stages of lactation (p<0.001). mothers with higher lf concentration in colostrum had higher values in the following 2 months. high maternal income and multiple gestation were significantly associated with higher lf levels; in contrast, maternal peripartum infections and male neonatal gender were associated with lower lf levels.conclusions:lf concentration in breast milk of mothers of lbw infants was high and remained elevated even at 1 and 2 months postpartum. lf concentration in colostrum was higher in mothers with higher income and multiple pregnancies, and lower in mothers with peripartum infections.