Bile salt-stimulated lipase activity in human colostrum from mothers of infants of different gestational age and birthweight.

. The bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) activity was measured in milk collected at 3–4 days postpartum (colostrum) from 36 mothers divided into three groups according to gestational age and birthweight of their infants. BSSL activity changed with the length of gestation. Preterm colostrum presented a mean activity significantly higher than the term groups (small-for-gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational age) which had similar values. The ratio of BSSL activity to the estimated fat content was 6.33 in colostrum of mothers who delivered preterm and 4.20 in colostrum of both groups of term mothers. These data suggest that preterm colostrum has a higher fat digesting potential than t…