Vitamin E blood levels in premature and full term infants.

Newborn infants showed serum tocopherol levels approximately one-fifth those of the maternal levels. During the first six days after birth, the serum tocopherols of breast-fed infants increased much more rapidly than those of bottle-fed infants. These differences were still evident at 1 to 4, and at 5 to 8, months of age. Premature infants fed an artificial formula low in vitamin E showed a rapid decline in serum tocopherol levels. These studies confirm and amplify other evidence that placental transfer of vitamin E is decidedly limited while mammary transfer is much more extensive.