Zinc in serum and breast milk in women who felt that their milk supply is depressed

Abstract

Zn deficiency is studied in women who applied with complaints of depressed mammary function within 4-12 weeks after confinement. A hundred randomly selected women (Group I) with such complaints were taken into study. Mean (±SEM) serum and breast milk (BM) Zn levels were found within limits of the normals given in literature. In addition, serum and BM Zn levels in the total group showed significant simple linear and polynomial parabolic relations which show that the nutritional Zn status in the region is satisfactory. In 70 per cent of cases the mean serum and BM Zn levels were found normal (Group II), in 22 per cent low (Group III) and in 8 per cent (Group IV) the lowest. To the women in Group IV, zinc sulphate in the amount of 0.5-1.0 mg/kg/day was orally supplemented for a period of one week. The difference between pre and post-supplementation serum and BM Zn levels were very significant (p<.005 and p<.010 respectively) and it was seen that the values reached to the values of the total study group within one week. Group II were consulted and were easily convinced of the adequacy of their milk supplies when they were shown the increasing trend of the growth parameters of their babies and afterwards came for the routine baby-care follow-up. Women in Group III were seen that they did not need dietary guidance. After supplementation women in Group IV felt their breasts somewhat more full. Regression analyses showed no significant relations between serum and BM Zn levels in the deficient groups, even after supplementation, which shows that Zn is sequestered in the mammary gland for the benefit of the infants.