Abstract

VIDUEIROS, Silvina Mariela et al. Deuterium-oxide turnover technique to assess breast milk intake and maternal body composition. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2017, vol.51, n.2, pp.249-256. ISSN 0325-2957.

The aim of this study was to describe the application of the dose-to-the-mother deuterium-oxide turnover technique to determine the breast milk intake and body composition of mothers in different types of breastfeeding. This analytical method was performed in four mother-infant pairs at 4 months from birth. Mothers received an oral dose of deuterated water, collecting 6 samples of saliva from mother and baby during a period of 15 days. Deuterium enrichment was determined in a Shimadzu FTIR-spectrometer-Affinity to obtain the intake of breast milk and water from non-breast milk sources. In this study, a variation of the enrichment of deuterium in the saliva of the infant was observed, being higher when the infant was exclusively breastfed. As non-breast milk water increased, the intake of human milk decreased. Furthermore, maternal total body water, fat free mass and fat mass were determined. To improve technical skills and knowledge through innovative methods of breast milk measurement can be useful as an assessment tool for evaluating infant feeding and investigating the extent to which breast milk is being replaced by the consumption of other foods in order to estimate exclusive breastfeeding in the future. This would contribute to the knowledge of maintaining breastfeeding until the sixth month of life, as it is recommended by WHO and UNICEF.

Keywords : Deuterium-oxide turnover method; Breast milk intake; Body composition.

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