Health Notions, Volume 2 Number 8 (August 2018) ISSN 2580-4936 878 | Publisher: Humanistic Network for Science and Technology http://heanoti.com/index.php/hn RESEARCH ARTICLE URL of this article: http://heanoti.com/index.php/hn/article/view/hn20812 The Difference Secretory Immunoglobulin A between Faeces Sample of Full Breastfeeding and Mixed Feeding Infant Nursyahid Siregar 1(CA) , Nursari Abdul Syukur 2 , Rahmawati Wahyuni 3 , Dwi Hendriani 4 1(CA) Department of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia; siregarnursyahid@yahoo.co.id (Corresponding Author) 2 Department of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia; nursarias@gmail.com 3 Department of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia; yunibid@gmail.com 4 Department of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia; dwihendriani@gmail.com ABSTRACT Newborn infants immune systems are immature and inadequate at birth. Infants have limited abilities to infectious challenges to respond effectively and quickly, which explain infants ongoing susceptibility to infections. Passive immunity is provided for infants through IgA and other antimicrobial peptides in breast milk, particularly colostrum. The purpose of this study is to determine the differences between the levels of secretory immunoglobulin A from faeces of full breastfeeding and mixed feeding infants. Design of this study was pre-test and post-test design. The sample size was 38 neonates in community health center work areas, selected by consecutive sampling. The level of secretory IgA was measured by ELISA method, then analyzed using t-test. The results showed that no significant differences levels of secretory IgA on 0 day from faeces of full breastfeeding and mixed feeding (p-value=0.141), the levels of secretory IgA on 28 days was higher in infants of full breastfeeding than mixed feeding (p-value=0.000), delta levels of secretory IgA was higher full breastfeeding infants than mixed feeding (p=0.000). Levels of secretory immunoglobulin A of full breastfeeding infants faeces was higher than mixed feeding infants. Keywords: Secretory immunoglobulin A, Full breastfeeding, Mixed feeding INTRODUCTION Background Neonatal Mortality Rate in 2010 in Indonesia reached 19 per 1.000 births. These numbers were the same as in 2007 and only 1 point decline compared to Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI) in 2002-2003, which was 20 per 1.000 births. The concern to reduce neonatal mortality (0-28 days) becomes important because it had a contribution to the 59% of infant mortality (1) . Based on the SDKI in 2012, the highest proportion of the death cause of infants aged 0-12 months was diarrhea (42%), followed by pneumonia (24%), meningitis/encephalitis (9%), digestive tract disorders (7%), heart abnormalities and hydrocephalus (6%), sepsis (4%), tetanus (3%), and others (malnutrition, TB, measles) (5%) (2) . Newborn have immature and inadequate immune systems at the time of birth. The human immune system begin to form and develope during the fetus period. The baby's immune system develops during at least the first 2 years of life. Overall, the baby has a limited capability to respond effectively and quickly to the microorganisms and that cause the baby continuously vulnerable to infections (3) . Secretory IgA intestinal mucosa was important in the early life to eliminate pathogens and the development of oral tolerance against commensal bacteria in the gut. Although the IgA can be detected in faeces of infants breastfeeding in the first few weeks of life, the baby's ability to produce IgA during this period are still limited. Passive immunity is provided for infants by the IgA and other antimicrobial peptides in breastfeeding, especially colostrum. Breastfeeding also provides a source of living bacteria that helps in the formation of early intestinal microbiota. There is a mutual relationship between the intestinal IgA and commensal intestinal bacteria because the microbial exposure stimulates the production of IgA in infants and in turn the IgA plays a role to control the