Epidermal growth factor in human breast milk

ABSTRACT

The present study compared the level of EGF in different human milk samples obtained from Egyptian mothers delivered at full and preterm. Human milk samples were collected from two groups of lactating mothers, the first group comprised 45 mothers who delivered at fullterm and the second group were 45 mothers who delivered at preterm. The concentration of EGF in human milk samples was measured by ELISA. Milk samples were collected from 3 to 10 days after delivery. Breast milk from the mothers in the first group had a significantly lower EFG concentration compared to that from mothers in the second group. EGF in human breast milk negatively correlated with the gestational age of the neonates in the two studied groups with r = - 0.783 and for the first group and r= -0.913 and for the second group. EGF concentrations negatively correlated with the day of milk sample collection in the two studied groups with r = -0.943 and for the first group and r= -0.960 for the second group