Biochemistry of breastfeeding (trans 4)

Question 1

During pregnancy, what female hormones stimulate the breast?

Answer 1

Progesterone and estrogen

**estrogen tends to suppress lactation

Question 2

This reflex become operational upon delivery and withdrawal

Answer 2

“let-down reflex or milk ejaculation reflex”

Question 3

Milk ejaculation reflex is stimulated by the infant sucking the breasts and an impulse is transmitted through stimulus afferent nerve pathways to the _____

Answer 3

Hypothalamus

Question 4

The stimulation of the hypothalamus by impulses carried by the afferent nerve pathways stimulates the ______ to secrete the hormone ______ into the bloodstream. This stimulates the milk-producing alveoli of the mammary glands

Answer 4

Anterior pituitary gland, prolactin

Question 5

Oxytocin causes the contraction of the myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland. What gland stimulates the release of this hormone?

Answer 5

Posterior pituitary gland

Question 6

True or false
True or false
Colostrum is secreted from the first sucking day to 5 days

Answer 6

True

Question 7

True or false

Colostrum has lower lactose sugar and fat content than human mature milk

Answer 7

True

Question 8

Colostrum is rich in what antibody?

Answer 8

IgA

Question 9

True or false

Transitional breast milk is secreted in the 4th to 10th day of lactation

Answer 9

True

Question 10

True or false

Phosphorus content in the transitional breast milk is higher in colostrum and mature human milk

Answer 10

True

Question 11

True or false
In human milk, major energy needs of the infant are provided by carbohydrates, contributing 50% of the total caloric requirements

Answer 11

False – fats

Question 12

Nitrogen containing complex carbohydrates that constitute the so-called bifidus factor

Answer 12

N-acetylglucosamine and sialic acid containing oligosaccharides and polysaccharides

Question 13

A good bacterium that crowds out the harmful bacteria in the GIT thereby lessening the incidence of gastroenteritis in infants and children

Answer 13

Lactobacillus bifidus

Question 14

Of the whey proteins, ____ and ____ are the dominating proteins in human milk, while _____ is the dominating protein in cow’s milk but is completely lacking in breast milk

Answer 14

α-lactalbumin and lactoferrin; β-lactoglobulin

Question 15

Two most common pathogens causing gastroenteritis in infants and children

Answer 15

klebsiella and E. coli

Question 16

In its saturated form, it acts as a bacteriostatic agent by competing with the bacteria for iron (bacteria need iron for growth), thus inhibiting the growth of Klebsiella and E. coli

Answer 16

Lactoferrin

Question 17

This secretion by macrophages is higher in human milk than in cow’s milk and has a direct and indirect bactericidal effect by potentiating the activity of immune antibodies

Answer 17

Lysozyme

Question 18

Feeding an infant with this kind of diet poses some risks such as metabolic acidosis, increase BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and NH3 (ammonia), diarrhea, fever and dehydration

Answer 18

High protein diet

Question 19

True or false

Essential and non-essential Amino Acids level is lower in human milk than in cow’s milk

Answer 19

True

Question 20

Maternal diet high in fish and vegetable oil (than animal fat) will result in increase of what type of fatty acid?

Answer 20

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)

Question 21

A maternal diet high in carbohydrates will result to increased content of what type of amino acid?

Answer 21

Saturated fatty acid (SFA) – because of increase glucose pathway of milk lipid synthesis

Question 22

True or false

Both human and cow’s milk have low iron content

Answer 22

True

Question 23

True or false

Human milk has high levels of vitamins A, D, and E but low levels of vitamin K

Answer 23

True

Question 24

True or false

Human milk has higher vitamin C but cow’s milk has a higher level of the other water soluble vitamins

Answer 24

True

Question 25

What is the protein content of evaporated milk?

Answer 25

100% casein

Question 26

Both human and evaporated milk have same levels of these fat-soluble vitamins

Answer 26

Vitamins A, E and k

Question 27

This type of milk gives caloric yield as breast milk when diluted at 1:4

Answer 27

Sweetened milk – 100 % vegetable oil and low vitamin content

Question 28

Breastfeeding delays the onset of another pregnancy. This phenomenon is called _____

Answer 28

Lactation amenorrhea

Question 29

This component of milk is lower in human milk than in cow’s milk that contributes to a lesser solute load to the infant’s immature or growing kidney

Answer 29

Protein content

Question 30

This component of human milk forms precipitate with calcium and phosphorous which makes it less digestible and thus lower rate of utilization

Answer 30

Casein - Thus casein content is low in human milk because the infant needs fast rate of utilization to support growth

Question 31

Which component of breast milk contributes to high rate utilization of energy?

Answer 31

Whey content – thus whey has a higher content in human milk

Question 32

This component of human milk facilitates better absorption of iron

Answer 32

Lactoferrin

Question 33

This component of milk signals satiety

Answer 33

Fat content

Question 34

A lower content of this component in the human milk reduces the risk of developing dental carries

Answer 34

Sucrose – thus lactose is the predominant sugar in human milk