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Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets
Published on: September 6, 2019
Breast-feeding and childhood hospitalizations for infections
Marie Tarrant1, Man-Ki Kwok, Tai-Hing Lam
1School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. tarrantm@hku.hk
Insights
Exclusive breastfeeding for at least three months significantly lowers infant hospitalizations for infections in the first six months. This protective effect is crucial during early childhood vulnerability.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Infectious diseases are a major cause of illness and hospitalization in infants and children.
- Breastfeeding offers protection against common childhood infections like respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses.
- The long-term effects of breastfeeding on childhood infectious disease risk require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between infant feeding practices and subsequent hospitalizations for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.
- To determine the impact of breastfeeding duration and exclusivity on infectious disease hospitalizations in children up to eight years of age.
Main Methods:
- A population-based birth cohort study including 8327 children born in 1997.
- Follow-up for eight years to track hospital admissions for respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and all infectious diseases.
- Cox regression analysis was employed to assess the time to first hospitalization.
Main Results:
- Exclusive breastfeeding for 3+ months was linked to significantly reduced hospital admissions for respiratory infections (HR=0.64), gastrointestinal infections (HR=0.51), and overall infections (HR=0.61) within the first six months.
- Partial breastfeeding (breast milk and formula) in the first three months also showed a reduction in hospitalizations, though with smaller effect sizes.
- No significant association was found between breastfeeding status at three months and infectious disease hospitalizations beyond six months of age.
Conclusions:
- Providing breast milk exclusively for at least three months substantially decreases hospital admissions for numerous infectious diseases during the critical first six months of life.
- These findings highlight the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in protecting vulnerable infants from serious infections.
Background:
Infectious disease is a leading cause of morbidity and hospitalization for infants and children. During infancy, breast-feeding protects against infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and otitis media. Little is known about the longer-term impact of breast-feeding on infectious disease in children.
Methods:
We investigated the relationship between infant feeding and childhood hospitalizations from respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in a population-based birth cohort of 8327 children born in 1997 and followed for 8 years. The main outcomes were public hospital admissions for respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and all infectious diseases. Cox regression was used to assess time to first hospitalization.
Results:
Breast-feeding only (no formula-feeding) for 3 or more months was associated with a lower risk of hospital admission in the first 6 months of life for respiratory infections (hazard ratio = 0.64 [95% confidence interval = 0.42-0.97]), gastrointestinal infections (0.51 [0.25-1.05]), and any infection (0.61 [0.44-0.85]), adjusted for sex, type of hospital at birth, and household income. Partial breast-feeding (both breast-feeding and formula-feeding) in the first 3 months also reduced hospitalizations from infections but with smaller effect sizes. Beyond 6 months of age, there was no association between breast-feeding status at 3 months and hospitalization for infectious disease.
Conclusions:
Giving breast milk and no formula for at least 3 months substantially reduced hospital admissions for many infectious diseases in the first 6 months of life, when children are most vulnerable.
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