Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets
Published on: September 6, 2019
The 'healthy immigrant effect': breastfeeding behaviour in Ireland
11 The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), Trinity College, Dublin 2 Social Research Division, Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin annolan@tcd.ie.
Breastfeeding rates are lower among Irish-born mothers compared to immigrants. However, immigrant breastfeeding rates decrease over time, converging towards those of the Irish-born population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Breastfeeding offers significant benefits to infants, mothers, and society.
- Ireland exhibits some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe, with a notable disparity between immigrants and the Irish-born population.
- In 2010, only 46.1% of Irish-born mothers initiated breastfeeding, compared to 84.2% of immigrant mothers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the 'healthy immigrant' effect on breastfeeding behavior in Ireland.
- To analyze breastfeeding rates among immigrant and Irish-born mothers using national data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nationally representative data from two child cohorts in Ireland.
- Examined breastfeeding behavior in relation to immigrant status and length of time since migration.
Main Results:
- Immigrant mothers demonstrate significantly higher breastfeeding rates than Irish-born mothers.
- Breastfeeding rates among immigrants converge towards the rates of the Irish-born population as their duration of stay in Ireland increases.
Conclusions:
- The observed decline in breastfeeding among immigrants highlights the influence of the host country's societal norms.
- Interventions are needed to address negative attitudes towards breastfeeding prevalent in Irish society.
- Further research can inform targeted public health strategies to support breastfeeding.
More Related Videos
04:16Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
05:04A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Development of Human Microbiota
Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Environmental Influences on Intelligence