Need for riboflavin supplementation in small prematures fed with human milk

It is the practice in Finland to feed small premature infants with human milk and with no riboflavin supplementation. In this study the riboflavin status was analyzed in 39 such premature infants, 19 with riboflavin supplementation (0.3 mg/day) and 20 without, in their mothers, and in breast-milk samples during a period of 12 wk after delivery. The mean gestational age of the infants was 30.1 wk and their birth weight 1,183 g. Stimulation of erythrocyte glutathione reductase by flavin-adenine-dinucleotide was used as the criterion for riboflavin status in the blood samples. At age 6 wk 47% of the infants without supplementation had activity coefficient values indicative of riboflavin deficiency. The riboflavin status of the infants receiving supplementation was better (p < 0.01). The concentration of riboflavin in the human milk samples was dependent on the amount of riboflavin supplementation of the mothers during the period from two to twelve weeks after delivery (p < 0.05–0.01). These data indicate that, in small premature infants the intake of riboflavin may be inadequate without supplementation during the first few weeks after birth.