Breast-feeding reduces incidence of hospital admissions for infection in infants
Fallot, M.E.; Boyd, J.L.; Oski, F.A.
Pediatrics 65(6): 1121-1124
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-4005 PMID: 7375235 Document Number: 155562
The prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding among infants 0-3 mo. of age in a community was contrasted with the prevalence of breast-feeding among infants hospitalized for the presence of presumed or established infections. During a 1 yr period, 136 infants 0-3 mo. of age were admitted to the hospital. Among the hospitalized group 11.0% were being exclusively breast-fed as contrasted with an expected frequency of 25.2% based on community feeding patterns. No bacterial infections were documented among the breast-fed group while 27 bacterial infections were documented among 121 non-breast-fed infants. Exclusively breast-feeding during the first 3 mo. of life significantly reduces the incidence of infections that ultimately require hospitalization of infants.