• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.475-486
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• 2005

This study was intended to investigate the nutritional status between lactating and non- lactating women, especially calcium and iron. The subjects were 84 lactating women and 20 non-lactating women visiting a public health center and hospital in Daegu. Each subject was interviewed to collect the information on dietary intake for 2 consecutive days. Biochemical assessment of iron status and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement were conducted. Dietary intake of carbohydrate, potassium, Vit $B_1,\;B_2$, Vit C were significantly higher in women during lactating period (p<0.05). However, relative intake as expressed by percentage of Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) was not significantly different between the two groups. The dietary intake of iron and calcium were 58.8%, 60.4% of Korean RDA respectively in women during lactating period. The current food habit score of these women was significantly higher than that of non-lactating women (p<0.05). When we compared the quality of nutritional status, the Index of nutritional quality (INQ) was significantly higher for vitamin $B_2$, P in lactating women than in non-lactating women (p<0.1). Mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was not significantly different between two groups. Dietary variety score (DVS) was significantly higher in women during the lactating period (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in biomarkers (Hb, Hct, Serum ferritin, Transferrin) related to iron status between the two groups. No significant difference in bone mineral density (BMD) T-score was not observed. However, it appeared that BMD of lactating women was lower than that of non-lactating women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.433-442
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• 1993

Dietary folate intake and serum folate levels were measured in 26 pregnant, 25 lactating, and 17 non-pregnant, non-lactating women. Dietary folate comsumption was estimated by calculating folate intake based on the information obtained from food frequency quesionnaires and serum folate levels were determined microbiologically using Lactobacillus casei. The total folate (from food and supplements) intakes of pregnant and lactating women were 326.9ug and 407.9ug, which was significantly higher than that of the non-pregnant, non-lactating women(139.5ug). However, with regard to food folate intake, there were no differences among the three groups (160ug for pregnant women, 143.4ug for lactating women). Forty-two percent and 36% of the pregnant and lactating subjects, respectively, were found to be taking commercially available nutritional supplements containing folate. The concentrations of folate in these supplements were in the range of 83ug~1, 000ug per tablet. For lactating women, serum folate levels were significantly higher when folate supplements were voluntarily used. The amount of folate intake was positively correlated with the serum folate levels in pregnant women, but not in lactaing women and non-pregnant, non-lactating women. Serum folate levels were negatively correlated with the ages of the pregnant women, and for lactating women, serum folate was positively correlated with their body weights.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to estimate the mineral intakes and serum mineral levels of pregnant and lactating women. The subjects consisted of 34 non-pregnant, 56 pregnant and 20 lactating women. Nutrients intakes were investigated by the 24-hr recall method, and serum major and trace minerals were analyzed by the ICP-spectrometry. Calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) intakes were observed lower than RDA especially for both pregnant and lactating women. Iron (Fe) intake of pregnant women was $85 - 139\%$ RDA through Fe supplementation, and that of lactating women was lower than RDA. Compared with non-pregnant women, the pregnant women had similar Ca intake and higher magnesium (Mg) intake. Comparing with the non-pregnant women, serum Ca level in pregnancy was lower, and that of lactating women was not significantly different. Serum phosphorus and Mg levels were not significantly different among the groups. Serum Fe level of pregnant and lactating women was lower than that of the non-pregnant women. Serum Zn level of pregnant women was lower than those in the lactating and non-pregnant women. Serum copper level decreased as the pregnancy progressed. Serum sodium (Na) level was higher in 2nd- and 3rd trimester and potassium (K) level was higher in 3rd trimester and lactating period than other groups. Na/K ratio was not significantly different among the groups. During all periods, there was no correlation between dietary intakes and serum levels in each minerals. Serum Ca level positively corrleated with serum Mg level, especially in 3rd trimester and lactating women. In general, serum mineral levels in pregnancy were changed compared to the levels in non-pregnancy and restored in lactation to the levels for non-pregnancy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 1993

Folate and iron nutrition was studied in a total of 122 pregnant, lactaging, and non-pregant, non-lactating Korean women, Serum folate levels were determined microbiologically using Lactobacillus casei(ATCC 7469), and serum iron levels was analyzed colormetrically. The average folate values of pregnant and lactating women were 5.42ng/ml and 4.14ng/ml, which were significantly lower than that of the non-pregnant, non-lactating women(7.06ng/ml). More than 1/3 of the total subjects were found to have serum folate levels lower than 3ng/ml, at which folate nutrition status can be considered inadequate. Serum iron values of pregnant(96.9ug/dl)and lactating women(93.9ug/dl) were not significantly different from that of the non-pregnant, non-lactating women (97.1ug/dl). There were however, more iron-deficient subjects in the pregnant gorup(17%) and the lactating group(19%) than in the non-pregnant, non-lactating group (8%). A statistically significant positive correlation was shown between the levels of serum folate and iron in lactating women(r=.9694, p<0.05). The results of our study document that folate deficiency is a nutritional problem as prevalent as iron deficiency in Korean women, especially during pregnancy and lactation. For these women a routine folate and iron supplementation might be necessary.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.518-529
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• 2008

Lactating women have an increased need of folate in the breastfeeding period and, as a consequence, may be in risk of folate deficiency. Folate content of breast milk, furthermore, is important for infants to support exponential growth. However, little is known about the folate content of breast milk from Korean lactating women and their folate nutritional status. In this study, therefore, we investigated the folate status of Korean lactating women and the folate content of their breast milk during extended lactation. A total of 10 subjects who delivered full-term infants participated this study voluntarily. Dietary folate intakes were measured and blood and breast milk were collected at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months postpartum. The women who did not take folic acid supplements failed to meet the recommended intake(RI) of folate for lactating women during all the study periods but those who did met the RI. The unsupplemented women showed lower plasma folate concentrations compared to the supplemented women and all the women were in suboptimal folate status determined by plasma folate concentration throughout the study periods. But the supplemented women showed lower prevalence of suboptimal folate status only at 3 or 6 months postpartum. Plasma folate concentrations of both groups decreased with the progression of lactation. Erythrocyte folate concentrations were not different between the two groups, however, that of the unsupplemented reduced further as time progressed. Plasma homocysteine levels were not different between the two groups. Concentrations of erythrocyte folate and plasma homocysteine were not changed throughout the study periods. Folate contents of their breast milk through the study periods were not different between the two groups and it decreased as lactation progressed in both groups. The results of this study suggest that the folate nutritional status of Korean lactating women might be deteriorated with the progression of lactation without folic acid supplements.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1996

This study was undertaken to determine talc fatty acid intakes of lactating women and breast fed infants. Food consumptions of lactating women were measured at 3 4nd 9 days find 4, 8 and 12 weeks postpartum, respectively and diet samples were collected at the same time. Breast milk and blood samples were collected at 12 weeks postpartum. Fatty acid profiles of diet and breast milk were analyzed with GC. Total fatty acid intakes, fat percentage of energy, P/M/S and n-6/n-3 ratios of lactating women were 50.7 g/d, 20.9$\%$, 0.6/0.9/1 and 4.0/l, respect timely, over the first 12 weeks of postpartum and were not significantly different according to the lactating stages. Total fatty acid intakes and fat percentage of energy of the infects aged 12 weeks through the breast milk alone were 18.9 g/d and 44.8. This study shows that the linoleic acid percentage of energy intake in infants was 6.7$\%$, which was in optimum and/or high level to generally recommended guideline. DHA intakes of lactating women were positively correlated with those of infants from breast mil.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.983-992
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• 1997

During pregnancy and lactation, folate status is important because folate requirements increase during the periods as well as maternal folate status influences on pregnancy outcome and human milk folate; especially folate deficiency around periconceptional period may induce neural tube defects(NTDs) of fetus. There have been a plenty of evidences that maternal folate status deteriorates during pregnancy of fetus. There have been a plenty of evidences that maternal folate status deteriorates during pregnancy and lactation if folate needed is not sufficiently provided. The Public health Service of the United States recommends all child-bearing is not sufficiently provided. The Public Health Service of the United States recommends all child-bearing women to intake 0.4mg of folate daily, and the Food and Drug Administration the folate status of child-bearing women and to reduce the rate of occurrence of NTDs. Many authors have insisted that the current recommended dietary allowances of folate for Americans are too low to maintain good folate status. There are little data about Korean folate status including pregant and lactating women. A couple of reports indicated that the folate intakes of Korean pregant and lactating women are below the Korean RDAs of folate and serum folate levels of them are subnormal. The authors pregnant and lactating women. Therefore, it is worth to review the assessment methods of folate status of pregnant and lactating women, folate RDAs for them, the relationships between maternal folate status and pregnancy outcome as well as human milk folate, the methods to increase folate intake, and the problems of large dose of folic acid supplementatiion.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2013

This study was performed to compare the dietary food and nutrient intakes according to supplement use in pregnant and lactating women in Seoul. The subjects were composed of 201 pregnant and 104 lactating women, and their dietary food intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method. General information on demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as health-related behaviors, including the use of dietary supplements, were collected. About 88% and 60% of the pregnant and lactating women took dietary supplements, respectively. The proportion of dietary supplements used was higher in pregnant women with a higher level of education. After adjusting for potential confounders, among the pregnant women, supplement users were found to consume 45% more vegetables, and those among the lactating women were found to consume 96% more beans and 58% more vegetables. The intakes of dietary fiber and ${\beta}$-carotene among supplement users were higher than those of non-users, by 23% and 39%, respectively. Among pregnant women, the proportion of women with an intake of vitamin C (from diet alone) below the estimated average requirements (EAR) was lower among supplement users [users (44%) vs. non-users (68%)], and the proportion of lactating women with intakes of iron (from diet alone) below the EAR was lower among supplement users [usesr (17%) vs. non-users (38%)]. These results suggest that among pregnant and lactating women, those who do not use dietary supplements tend to have a lower intake of healthy foods, such as beans and vegetables, as well as a lower intake of dietary fiber and ${\beta}$-carotene, which are abundant in these foods, and non-users are more likely than users to have inadequate intake of micro-nutrient such as vitamin C and iron.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.248-258
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to develop a series of education materials as a card news format to provide nutrition information for pregnant and lactating women. Methods: The materials were developed in seven steps. As a first step, the needs of pregnant and lactating women were assessed by reviewing scientific papers and existing education materials, and by interviewing a focus group. The second step was to construct main categories and the topics of information. In step 3, a draft of the contents in each topic was developed based on the scientific evidence. In step 4, a draft of card news was created by editors and designers by editing the text and embedding images in the card news. In step 5, the text, images and sequences were reviewed to improve readability by the members of the project team and nutrition experts. In step 6, parts of the text or images or the sequences of the card news were revised based on the reviews. In step 7, the card news were finalized and released online to the public. Results: A series of 26 card news for pregnant and lactating women were developed. The series covered five categories such as nutrition management, healthy food choices, food safety, favorites to avoid, nutrition management in special conditions for pregnant and lactating women. The satisfaction of 7 topics of the card news was evaluated by 140 pregnant women, and more than 70% of the women were satisfied with the materials. Conclusions: The card news format materials developed in this study are innovative nutrition education tools, and can be downloaded on the homepage of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Those materials can be easily shared in social media by nutrition educators or by pregnant and lactating women to use.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of copper, zinc, manganese, nickel, cadmium and mercury content in breast milk among urban, rural and industrial lactating women in Korea. A total of 59 samples, which were collected from 17 in urban, 20 in rural and 22 in industrial area, and from 21-38 years-old healthy lactating women, were analyzed by Rigaku Mercury Analyzer for mercury, and by atomic absorption apectrophotometry for the other metals. The results are summarized as follows : The mean trace metal contents in breast milk were determined to be 0.34$\pm$0.14 ppm for copper, 2.01$\pm$1.43 ppm for zinc, 8.49$\pm$5.11 ppb for manganese, 7.75$\pm$5.73 ppb for nickel, 1.65$\pm$2.42 ppm for cadmium, 34.45$\pm$26.71 ppb for lead and 0.90$\pm$0.68 ppb for mercury. For the trace metal content in breast milk by area, the highest of copper, zinc, cadmium and mercury content were in urban, the highest of manganese content was in industrial, and the highest of nickel and lesd content were in rural. For copper, zinc, manganese and lead content in breast milk by lactation period, the highest levels were found in under 4 weeks after lactating, and subsequently the levels declined as lactation progressed, but the levels of zinc and manganese content increased from over 25 weeks after lactating. For cadmium and mercury content in breast milk by lactation period, the lowest levels were found in under 4 weeks after lactating, the highest levels were found in 5-12 weeks after lactating, and subsequently the levels declined as lactation progressed.For nickel content in breast milk by lactation period, the highest level was in 13-24 weeks after lactating, the lowest level was in 5-12 weeks after lactating.