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Partial breastfeeding protects Bedouin infants from infection and morbidity: prospective cohort study

Natalya Bilenko1, Rohini Ghosh, Amalia Levy

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, POBox 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel. natalya@bgu.ac.il

Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|July 1, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Partial breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for infants, protecting against infections and reducing illness. Encouraging continued partial breastfeeding past three months can improve infant health outcomes in populations with early supplementation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Exclusive breastfeeding benefits are well-documented.
  • Early supplementation is common in some populations, necessitating research on partial breastfeeding's effects.
  • Understanding protective factors against infant morbidity is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the protective effects of partial breastfeeding against enteric infections and associated morbidity.
  • To assess these effects in a population where early supplementation is prevalent.
  • To determine the impact of partial breastfeeding across different infant age ranges.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study design.
  • Followed 238 Bedouin infants from birth to 18 months.
  • Analyzed infection and morbidity rates in relation to breastfeeding status (exclusive, partial, non-breastfeeding).

Main Results:

  • Exclusive breastfeeding protected against infection and morbidity in infants aged 0-3 months.
  • Partial breastfeeding (4-6 months) was linked to lower rates of Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, ear infections, and asthma.
  • Partial breastfeeding (10-12 months) protected against Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia infections.

Conclusions:

  • Partial breastfeeding provides protection against infections and morbidity in infants, particularly between 4-6 months.
  • Encouraging continued partial breastfeeding beyond three months can reduce infant infections and illness.
  • Findings are relevant for Bedouin and potentially other populations with early supplementation practices.

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