Comparison of the phospholipid composition of breast milk from mothers of term and preterm infants during lactation.

Phospholipids were determined in milk on postpartum day 3 (colostrum) and days 7, 21, 42, and 84 from mothers of 18 very premature (26 to 30 wk gestation age), 28 premature (31 to 36 wk), and 6 term (37 to 40 wk) infants. Lipids were analyzed by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. Total fat content increased during lactation whereas phospholipids and cholesterol declined. Phospholipids were separated from neutral lipids by column chromatography and distributed by preparative thin-layer chromatography into classes, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl choline, serine, inositol, and ethanolamine for fatty acid analysis. Phospholipids exhibited a remarkable constancy in class percentages in milks from mothers giving birth prematurely or at term. Changes were observed in fatty acid composition within each of the phospholipid classes as secretion progressed from colostrum (3d) to transitional (7d) to mature milk (21, 42, 84d). These changes in phospholipid fatty acid composition occurred only during the first 3 wk of lactation. Mature milk was found to be relatively constant in phospholipid composition.