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Maternal, Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P10-104-24) Milk Fatty Acids Are Associated With Lactation Outcomes but Are Not Affected by Vitamin D Supplementation in Bangladeshi Women

Sunday, June 30, 2024
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM CT
Location: Poster Board 597

    Presenting Author(s)

  • RW

    Rachel E. Walker, PhD

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    The Pennsylvania State University
    University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • AA

    Abdullah Al Mahmud

    Shield Pharmaceuticals Corp. New York, United States

  • MI

    M. Munirul Islam, PhD

    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
    Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

  • AG

    Alison D. Gernand, PhD, MPH

    Assistant Professor
    The Pennsylvania State University
    University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

Disclosure(s):
Rachel E. Walker, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Milk fatty acid profile has been used as a biomarker of low milk supply in humans. We have found that higher milk mid-chain fatty acids (MCFA) and lower oleic acid (OA) concentrations were markers of very low milk production. In this study, we aimed to assess whether milk fatty acids are associated with lactation outcomes at 3 months postpartum and are affected by vitamin D supplementation.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Participants received placebo (n=16), 4,200 IU/wk (n=43), 16,800 IU/wk,(n=53), or 28,000 IU/wk (n=59) vitamin D prenatally or 28,000 IU/wk (n=17) both prenatally and postpartum. Infant feeding was assessed at weekly visits, and milk samples were collected at 3 months. Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months was defined as the infant receiving only breastmilk for the past 7 days (13 weeks±1 week). Milk OA and MCFA were analyzed by gas chromatography and calculated as % of total fatty acids (n=188). Milk fatty acids were compared by trial arm using unadjusted one-way ANOVA models and by lactation outcome using t-test. Exclusive/predominant breastfeeding prevalence ratios were calculated using log binomial models.

Results: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 71%. Milk OA was higher and milk MCFA was lower for exclusive breastfeeding compared with mixed/no breastfeeding (excl OA: 30.1%, mixed/no OA: 28.5%; p=0.01; excl MCFA 15.2%, mixed/no MCFA: 16.9%; p=0.02) at 3 months. For every unit increase in OA (+1% of total fatty acids), there was a 2.5% increase in prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (PR, 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05; p=0.01). Prenatal and postpartum vitamin D did not affect milk OA or MCFA (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Milk fatty acid profile was not altered by prenatal or postpartum vitamin D supplementation but appears to be a marker of exclusive/predominant breastfeeding at 3 months in this cohort.

Funding Sources: Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences - HITS grant; Penn State College of Health and Human Development