Vitamin B6, vitamin C and folacin levels in milk from mothers of term and preterm infants during the neonatal period.

Studies of the composition of milk from mothers who deliver prematurely have focused primarily on macronutrients and trace elements while its vitamin composition has received little attention. This study focused on vitamin B6, vitamin C and folacin in preterm (PT) and term (T) milk which are critical to early growth and development. Fifteen PT and twelve T mothers were studied for five 24-h periods during the first month of lactation. Vitamin C levels were higher in PT milk during the first week of lactation whereas folacin levels were similar to T milk. Vitamin B6 levels in PT milk were lower than in T milk throughout the first month postpartum. These findings suggested that the use of PT milk as the sole source of these nutrients is open to question and that during the neonatal period PT infants need supplements of certain micronutrients.