Related Experiment Videos
[Is breast-feeding a protective factor for infectious diseases? A case-control study]
M C Carratalá Munuera1, E Gascón Pérez, M Raga Ortega
1Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Campus de San Juan, Elche, Alicante, Spain.
Atencion Primaria
|March 2, 2005
Summary
Breast-feeding (BF) shows no protective effect against infectious diseases in infants under one year old. However, BF for 3-6 months offers protection against acute respiratory infections in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Context:
- A case-control study was conducted in a primary care setting with a population of 22,500.
- The study retrospectively analyzed data from 1998.
Purpose:
- To determine if breast-feeding (BF) serves as a protective factor against infectious diseases in children.
- To analyze the association between the duration of BF and the incidence of acute respiratory and digestive infections.
Summary:
- The study included 48 cases (children with ≥3 infectious episodes) and 144 controls (children with <3 episodes).
- While 60.4% of infants were breast-fed initially, only 28.5% continued for 3 months.
- No significant protective effect of BF was found for children under one year (OR=0.81).
- A significant protective effect was observed for BF duration between 3-6 months (OR=0.346).
Impact:
- This research highlights the critical window of 3-6 months for breast-feeding to confer protection against respiratory infections.
- Findings can inform public health initiatives and parental guidance on optimal breast-feeding durations for infant health.