Breast feeding: Mo, As, Mn, Zn and Cu concentrations in milk of economically poor Indian tribal and urban women.

The breast milk of 86 economically poor Indian women was analysed by neutron activation analyses for Mo, As, Mn, Zn, and Cu concentrations. The colostrum of 10 tribal women contained 0.27 microgram Cu/g, 2.1 micrograms Zn/g, 19.9 ng Mn/g, 0.73 ng As/g and 5.4 ng Mo/g, whereas 19 urban women had corresponding concentrations of 0.91 microgram Cu/g, 7.3 micrograms Zn/g, 15.3 ng Mn/g, 0.5 ng As/g and 15.3 ng Mo/g. A survey of mature milk between 1 and 6 months, 6 and 12 months and 1 and 2.5 years indicated decreasing concentrations of Zn and Mo, but increasing Mn concentrations as the post-partum period progressed. Malnourished infants received breast milk containing less Cu, Zn and Mn than those who were better nourished and of the same age group. The results, therefore, imply the necessity of supplementing breast feeds in the economically poorer groups.

Infants with a congenital anomaly and the concentration of Mo, As, Mn, Zn and Cu in the mother's milk.

Thirty-one samples of mothers' milk were analysed by neutron activation analysis for the concentrations of Mo, As, Mn, Zn, Cu 1.5 to 3 months post-partum. Group I consisted of 6 mothers having infants with neonatal obstructive jaundice and exhibited lower mean values of Cu and Mn at 0.18 microgram/g and 11.7 micrograms/g as compared with 16 control subjects with 0.34 microgram/g Cu and 23.0 micrograms/g Mn;Mo levels were approximately twice as high (12.2 micrograms/g) as the control values (6.4 micrograms/g); Zn and As were grossly comparable. Group II consisted of 9 mothers who had delivered infants with either a congenital hydrocephalus (n = 7) or meningomyelocoele (n = 2), exhibited a mean Cu level of 0.27 microgram/g, Zn 1.7 micrograms/g, Mn 25.3 micrograms/g and As 0.45 microgram/g. These findings are discussed in the light of the patho-physiology of the congenital anomaly of the infant.