AUTHOR=Ramiro-Cortijo David , Singh Pratibha , Herranz Carrillo Gloria , Gila-Díaz Andrea , Martín-Cabrejas María A. , Martin Camilia R. , Arribas Silvia M. 

TITLE=Association of maternal body composition and diet on breast milk hormones and neonatal growth during the first month of lactation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1090499

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2023.1090499

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=Preterm birth is associated with altered growth patterns and increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases, being breast milk (BM) a counteracting factor. Preterm infants also show alterations in adipokines and gut hormones influencing appetite and metabolism. Since these hormones are present in BM it is possible that their levels may equilibrate deficiencies improving infant growth. We aimed to assess: 1) BM levels of ghrelin, resistin, leptin, insulin, peptide YY and GIP in women with preterm and term labor, 2) the relationship between BM hormones and neonatal growth, and 3) the influence of maternal body composition and diet on these BM hormones. BM from 48 women (30 term and 18 preterm labor) was collected at days 7, 14 and 28 of lactation. Maternal body composition was evaluated by bioimpedance, and neonate anthropometric parameters were collected from medical records. Maternal dietary pattern was assessed by a 72-hour dietary recall at days 7 and 28 of lactation. BM hormones were analyzed by U-Plex Ultra-sensitive method. Data were analyzed using linear regression models. BM from women with preterm labor had lower ghrelin levels, being the other hormones significantly higher compared to women with term delivery. In premature infants, growth was positively associated with BM ghrelin, while in term infants it was positively associated with insulin and negatively with peptide YY. In the first week of lactation, women with preterm labor had higher body fat compared to women with term labor. In this group ghrelin levels were positively associated with maternal body fat and with fiber and protein intake. In women with term labor, no associations between anthropometric parameters and BM hormones were found, and fiber intake was negatively associated with peptide YY. We conclude that preterm labor is a factor influencing the levels of BM adipokines and gut hormones, being BM ghrelin a relevant hormone for premature infant growth. Since ghrelin is lower in BM from women with preterm labor, and levels are associated with maternal fat storage and some dietary components, our data support the importance to monitor diet and body composition in women who gave birth prematurely to improve BM hormonal status.