Maternal breastfeeding and autism spectrum disorder in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Pediatric Health
• Environmental Epidemiology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social-communicative deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
• While genetic factors are implicated, environmental influences on ASD risk are increasingly investigated.
• Breastfeeding practices have been explored as potential environmental factors, but existing research presents conflicting findings regarding their association with ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis examining the association between maternal breastfeeding and ASD in children.
• To identify potential moderating factors influencing the breastfeeding-ASD relationship.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant studies.
• A meta-analysis was conducted on seven selected articles reporting on breastfeeding and ASD diagnosis.
• Subgroup analyses were performed to explore moderating effects.

Main Results:

• The meta-analysis included 1463 children with ASD and 1180 controls.
• Children diagnosed with ASD were significantly less likely to have been breastfed compared to controls (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.45-0.83, P = 0.002).
• This protective association remained significant even when breastfeeding included supplementation.

Conclusions:

• This meta-analysis suggests that breastfeeding, whether exclusive or supplemented, may offer a protective effect against the development of ASD.
• Further prospective longitudinal research is necessary to elucidate the complex mechanisms underlying this association.