Exclusive breast-feeding for six months tied to fewer and less severe infections in infants
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Exclusive breast-feeding for six months may reduce the frequency and severity of infections in infants in a setting with a well-vaccinated infant population and adequate health standards, according to research published online Sept. 27 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Fani Ladomenou, of the University of Crete in Heraklion, Greece, and colleagues analyzed data from 926 infants who were followed for 12 months for infections, including acute otitis media, acute respiratory infection, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, conjunctivitis, and thrush.
The researchers found that infants who were exclusively breast-fed for six months had fewer infectious episodes than infants who were partially breast-fed or non-breast-fed, and the relationship persisted after adjusting for potential confounders for respiratory infections (odds ratio [OR], 0.58), otitis media (OR, 0.37), and thrush (OR, 0.14). Prolonged exclusive breast-feeding was also associated with fewer admissions to the hospital for infections. Partial breast-feeding wasn't associated with protection. The protective effective of exclusive breast-feeding was found in communities with adequate vaccination coverage and health care standards.
"Our results suggest breast-feeding has beneficial effects against common infections in infancy. This protection seems to be related to the exclusive breast-feeding and its duration. Therefore, mothers should be advised by health professionals that, in addition to all the other benefits, exclusive breast-feeding helps prevent infections in babies and lessens the frequency and severity of infectious episodes," the authors conclude.
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