Dear Sandi Gabriel:
On Wed 15 Oct 1997, You posted to LactNet:
"Recently, a question came up in a class discussion about
breast
feeding vs. bottle feeding that addressed environmental pollutants.  If
the
mother were to be exposed to an environmental pollutant such as PCB's
that
may stay stored in her fatty tissues for a long time, would that
pollutant
be passed through into her breastmilk?  If she were to consume the
pollutent via her diet while she is breastfeeding, would it pass into
her
milk?
        I have been unable to find information about this subject and I
was
wondering if any of you could help me out?"

The 1997 World Breastfeeding Week theme dealt with environmental issues
and breastfeeding.  Yes, some environmental pollutants (like PCB's) are
stored in human fat.  The easiest ways for environmental
researchers/public health professionals to measure the body load of such
pollutants in a population is through samples of human milk (much easier
than liposuction!) That is how all the reports of 'contaminated' breast
milk get in the media.

Hale's 97 edition disucsses PCB's:  "Polychlorinated biphenyls are
environmental pollutants.  They are found at relatively high
concentrations in the fatty tissue of predatory sports fish feeding in
polluted waters, and in the tissues of humans who consume such fish.
Because they are incredibly lipid soluble, large quantities are excreted
in human milk with significant absorption by the infant.  Transfer
in-utero appears minimal as cord levels are low.  In 138 subjects, the
average milk level of PCB was 19.3 ng/ml compared to 4.7 ng/ml in
maternal serum.  The milk:plasma ratio appears to be 4.1.  At present we
do not know the long term effects of PCB contamination in fat stores,
but breastmilk is a major excretory route for this contaminate.  Adult
concerns:  Elevated risk of cancer.  Pediatric Concerns: Major transfer
of PCBs into milk are known.  Effects on infants are unknown at this
time."

Jacobson J, Fein GG, Jacobson SW, Schwartz PM, Dowler JK.  The transfer
of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated biphenyls across the
human placenta and into maternal milk.  AJPH 74:378-379, 1984.

Wickizer TM, Brilliant LB.  Testing for polychlorinated biphenyls in
human milk.  Pediatrics 68:411-415, 1981.

Beyond the issue of contaminants specific to human milk, consider issues
of environmental contaminants in other foods for human consumption.  No
company can continuously monitor its milk for every possible
contaminant.  Chemicals, metals, and organic coumpounds are never
discovered if they are never sought. Remember,  cow's milk has a
potential to carry such contaminants -- some animal feeds contain fish
products.  What about pesticides on grain/legume crops (corn, sorgum,
soybeans) -- these are also stored in fatty tissue.

The World Health Organization did a comprehensive study of environmental
contaminants and their impact on human health.  It concluded that the
risks to infant and young child health from environmental contamination
via human milk were small compared to the intrinsic qualities of human
milk.  Studies show that neurological damage from fetal exposure to
toxins is mitigated in direct proportion to the amount of breast milk in
an infant's diet.

Any substitutes for human milk face environmental risks greater than
those posed by human milk -- water contamination being the greatest.

If you want to learn more about the general issues of breastfeeding and
the environment, get WABA's 1997 World Breastfeeding Week Action Folder
and ILCA's 1997 WBW Action Kit.  Both are available from the
International Lactation Consultant Association <www.ilca.org>.  You can
get general information on human health and the environment through
GreenPeace: <www.greenpeace.org>.

"If breastmilk becomes too contaminated to use, then it is likely that
our chances of having healthy children, or even being able to reproduce
at all, will be in jeopardy" -- Gabrielle Palmer

Good Luck to You!
Doraine Bailey, ILCA World Breastfeeding Week Coordinator


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