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Published on: August 7, 2017

Maternal asthma status alters relation of infant feeding to asthma in childhood

A L Wright1, C J Holberg, L M Taussig

  • 1Respiratory Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|November 7, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Maternal asthma may change how breastfeeding affects a child's asthma risk. Longer exclusive breastfeeding was linked to higher asthma rates in children whose mothers had asthma.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Allergology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The link between infant feeding and childhood asthma is debated.
  • Maternal asthma's influence on this relationship is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if maternal asthma status modifies the association between breastfeeding and childhood asthma.
  • To determine the impact of exclusive breastfeeding duration on asthma development in children with and without maternal asthma.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 1043 children was followed from birth.
  • Parental questionnaires assessed asthma and feeding history at ages 6, 9, or 11 years.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding duration was categorized (never, <4 months, >=4 months) using physician reports or 18-month questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • The relationship between breastfeeding and asthma varied by maternal asthma status.
  • For children with maternal asthma, longer exclusive breastfeeding was significantly associated with an increased risk of active physician-diagnosed asthma (OR: 5.7, CI: 2.8-11.5).
  • This association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal asthma may alter the protective or risk effects of breastfeeding on childhood asthma.
  • Longer exclusive breastfeeding duration was associated with a higher risk of asthma in children born to mothers with asthma.
  • Potential biological mechanisms or reporting biases may explain this observed association.

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