الفهرس 
Breast Milk and BreastfeedingOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study was designed to assess the epidermal growth factor level in colostrum of lactating mothers of premature infants and compare them to levels obtained from full term infants’ mothers.
This study was conducted on 40 mothers of newborns. They were divided into two groups according to the newborns gestational age at birth. 20 were born premature (GA at birth 28 – 36 weeks, with a mean and standard deviation of 34.00 ± 2.45); and 20 were born full terms (GA at birth 38 – 40 weeks, with a mean and standard deviation of 39.10 ± 1.18). The included newborns were delivered at the Gynecology and Obstetric Hospital, Ain Shams University.
Thorough history was taken from all the mothers, with special emphasis on date of last menstrual period, age, drug intake and exposure to tobacco smoking, whether active or passive during pregnancy or lactation, fetal conditions, conditions of labour and delivery and acute natal complications. The newborns were subjected to complete physical examination including: general examination (vital data, anthropometric measurements and the percentages of their mean were calculated, colours), assessment of their maturity using the New Ballard Score and Apgar score at one and five minutes.
Laboratory evaluation of EGF level in all the mothers’ colostrum samples was performed. The EGF values were compared with each other between the two groups (Group 1: mothers of preterm infants, and Group 2: mothers of full term infants), and correlated with the different parameters which were taken for both groups.
Our study revealed the following results:
Maternal age, gender, order of birth and Apgar score mean values showed no statistical significant difference among the two groups.
Meanwhile, the mean values of the New Ballard score (total and gestational age), anthropometric measurements and level of EGF in maternal colostrum showed a statistical significant difference between the two groups; being lower in Group 1 as regards the new Ballard score and the anthropometric measurements; and higher in Group 1 as regards the level of EGF in maternal colostrum, when compared to Group 2.
The level of EGF in maternal colostrum was correlated to the anthropometric measurements, New Ballard Score, Maternal age, order of birth and Apgar score of both groups individually.
Regarding group 1, it was found to be negatively correlated with mean % of wt for age, mean % of head circumference for age and order of birth of neonates. Yet, there was no correlation between level of EGF and other variables. As for group 2, the EGF content in maternal colostrum negatively correlated with the New Ballard Score (total score) and gestational age of neonates. Meanwhile, there was no correlation between Level of EGF and other variables.
Conclusions
In the current study, we concluded that:
• The highest EGF content was measured in colostrum from mothers of preterm infants in comparison to mothers of full term infants.
• The level of EGF increases in colostrum of mothers of preterm infants as the mean % of wt for age, mean % of head circumference for age and order of birth decreases.
• The level of EGF increases in colostrum of mothers of full term infants as the New Ballard score (total and gestational age) decreases.