Briefly discuss the physiology of lactation and enumerate the importance of human milk for infant growth and development. 

The physiology of human lactation is described with secretions on mammary gland anatomy and development, the mechanisms of milk secretion and ejection, and the temporal sequence of events during the transition from pregnancy to lactation (lacto-genesis). Finally, interactions between lactation and maternal metabolism are briefly described and the interaction of lactation with fertility discussed.

The importance of human milk for infant growth and development:--

Human milk provides all the essential components for the growth and development of the baby. This includes macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and developmental factors (long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as LCPUFA, growth factors and cytokines). Human milk also provides vital protection, decreasing infection via immunoglobulins and anti-infective proteins. It is therefore recommended as the sole source of nutrition for all babies during the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding in addition to solid foods for at least the first years.

Macronutrients

Fat

Breast milk fat provides 50-60 per cent of the term baby’s caloric intake. Fat also performs a critical function in delivering free fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins to the baby. Triacylglycerols, composed of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, are the most abundant class of fat in human milk, representing more than 98 per cent of the total fat. LCPUFA including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are of particular importance because they accumulate in the membrane lipids of the brain and retina, where they provide important visual and neural functions. Indeed, babies fed higher levels of _____ ______ _____ ____ ____ __________ ____ __________.
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