The effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on human milk macronutrients content.

To test the null hypothesis that human milk (HM) macronutrients (fat, lactose, protein) and caloric content in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is similar to that of women without GDM. Sixty-two lactating mothers (31 GDM, 31 no-GDM) were studied after confirmation by 100-g oral glucose tolerance test. Each mother contributed three manually expressed HM samples (within 72 h after labor (colostrum), after 7 days (transitional) and at 14 days (mature)). Analysis was done by infrared transmission spectroscopy. Non-GDM and GDM groups did not differ by maternal age, pre-pregnancy weight, height, diet, pregnancy weight gain, gestational age, and infant birth weight. Macronutrients content in colostrum and transitional milk did not differ between groups. Fat and energy contents in mature HM were higher in non-GDM samples than in GDM samples (p = 0.07 and p < 0.02, respectively). Fat and energy content of mature HM obtained from mothers with GDM is lower compared to that of mature HM from mothers without GDM.