All issues > Volume 25(12); 1982

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1982;25(12):1203-1209. Published online December 31, 1982.

Quantitative Determination of Immunologlobulins in Breast Milk During the Period of Lactation.

Sung Ee Kim¹, Chang Soo Ra¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chosun University

Abstract

It has been established by many investigations that immunoglobulins in breast milk, par- ticularly secretory IgA, are important in. protecting the infant, not only through the colostrum but through milk from birth to the early months of life. In order to determine the levels of immunoglobulins in breast milk and the alterations of levels of immunoglobulins during the period of lactation, the authors studied the levels of main classes of immunoglobulins in breast milk from the mothers, from 1st day to 30th day after childbirth, and from the mothers who have breast-fed infant aged from 2 months to 12 months by the method of immunodiffusion assay(IATRON immunodiffusion set, Japan). The mean levels of i mmunoglobulins at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 30th day respectively were as follows; IgA: 2,117 mg/dl, 176 mg/dl, 157 mg/dl, 117 mg/dl and 66 mg/dl IgM: 293 mg/dl, 42 mg/dl, 29 mg/dl, 29 mg/dl and 23 mg/dl IgG: 44 mg/dl, 9 mg/dl, 12 mg/dl, 13 mg/dl and 11 mg/dl The mean levels of immunoglobulins at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th. month respe- ctively were as follows; IgA: 66 mg/dl, 47 mg/dl, 70 mg/dl, 50 mg/dl, 60 mg/dl and 52 mg/dl IgM: 37 mg/dl, 29 mg/dl, 34 mg/dl, 27 mg/dl, 26 mg/dl and 21 mg/dl IgG: 12 mg/dl, 7 mg/dl, 11 mg/dl, 6 mg/dl, 9 mg/dl and 8 mg/dl It was found that IgA immunoglobulin level was very high at 1st day postpartum, and dropped precipitously in the first 3 to 5 days postpartum, and thereafter remained almost constant for the rest period of lactation. In the case of IgM and Ig G, similar results were observed, but the levels were much lower. Indi visual variations of levels of immunoglobulins were found at different time after the onset of lactation.

Keywords :Immunoglobulins; breast milk.