The use of nuclear magnetic resonance for assessment of time variation in composition of human milk and colostrum: a case study during pregnancy and post-partum.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectra were collected on milk and colostrum obtained from the author during the pregnancy and post-partum periods for two births. Peak features in the downfield region, containing antibody and aromatic resonances (6.0 to 9.0 ppm), varied over time. This time variation pattern, while nearly identical for milk following the author's two births, differed dramatically from the colostrum of another woman in labor. A possible pattern unique to each woman should be further investigated by monitoring NMR spectra on a larger sample. Downfield peak pattern variations were less intense between five women in later stages of lactation. Other spectral regions showed only minor variations with time and patterns did not differ significantly. These five women excreted proteins and/or small aromatic compounds in a time variant pattern assessable with NMR spectrocopy.