Investigating the Relationship between Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) in diabetic mother’s breast milk and the blood serum of their babies

INTRODUCTION Since research investigating IGF-1 levels in breast milk are few, the goal of this study was to analyze the IGF-1 levels in the breast milk of diabetic mothers as well as in the serum of their newborn babies and to identify what relationship exists between blood serum and IGF-1 milk levels through patient measurement of mothers and their babies. METHODS This case control study was undertaken under the auspices of the Clinic of Neonatology at Al Minia University Pediatric Hospital over May 2012 through May 2013. With a total of 30 diabetic mothers and their babies forming the experimental group and the control group consisting of 15 non-diabetic mothers and their babies. A detailed medical history, anthropometric assessments, as well as the measurement of the baby's serum IGF-1 and their mother's breast milk IGF-1 levels were taken from all participants using ELSIA. The resulting data were analyzed via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 and measurements of descriptive statistics, t-test, Chi-square test, as well as the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS The Infants born to Diabetic Mothers (IDMs) demonstrated significantly greater anthropometric measurement. Both the serum levels and the milk IGF-1 levels as well as all of the physical measurements taken were found to have a positive correlation between the level of IGF-1 in mother's milk and all of the anthropometric measurements studied with the exception of delivered baby's length. CONCLUSION Higher levels of IGF-1 are present in the milk of diabetic mothers and the blood serum of their babies and this characteristic could be used as a prenatal biomarker for macrosomia.