Investigating Lipid Peroxidation Products in Donor Human Milk
Investigating Lipid Peroxidation Products in Donor Human Milk
This study will quantify lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde, 4 hydroxy-2-nonenal,
 hexanal, and 8-iso-PGF2α), fatty acid content, and antioxidant capacity in donor human milk
 sampled from two neonatal units in the UK. Comparison will be made to preterm
 transitional/mature milk and term mature milk.
The investigators have recently identified that current human milk banking practices in the
 United Kingdom may have the potential to increase levels of lipid peroxidation products in
 donor human milk. It is therefore important to quantify the extent of this increase. This
 project aims to quantify for the first time the levels of lipid peroxidation products in
 donor human milk that is provided to infants on the neonatal unit.

 Donor human milk samples will be collected from two neonatal units in the United Kingdom,
 served by different human milk banks. Fresh mature term breast milk, collected from healthy
 mothers in the community, and preterm transitional/mature breast milk, collected from healthy
 mothers at a neonatal unit, will be used for comparison. For each group, 10 x 5 mL samples
 will be analysed for the lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde, 4 hydroxy-2-nonenal,
 hexanal, and 8-iso-PGF2α. The fatty acid content and total antioxidant capacity will also be
 measured. All analysis will be undertaken at Bournemouth University.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Donor human milk that was intended to feed an infant at a neonatal unit in the U.K
 will be used for this study. Donor human milk needs to be routinely discarded 24 hours
 after defrosting on the unit, at that point it will be used as sample for this study.

 -  Preterm transitional/mature breast milk will be sampled from healthy, asymptomatic
 mothers of a preterm baby (born < 37 weeks gestational age) as soon as a stable milk
 supply is established. Samples will only be obtained if there is a surplus to the
 babies' need.

 -  Term mature breast milk will be sampled from healthy, asymptomatic mothers in the
 community. Samples will only be obtained if there is a surplus to the babies' need.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Donor human milk that cannot be stored on ice or in the fridge within 2 hours and
 cannot be frozen at -80°C within 5 hours

 -  For preterm and term breast milk:

 Women < 18 years Women who are not able to access the study information in English Smoking
 women Women with mastitis Women who delivered after clinical chorioamnionitis, or other
 sepsis