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ABSTRACT. Chandra, R. K. (Department of Pediatrics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada). Prospective studies of the effect of breast feeding on incidence of infection and allergy. Acta Paediatr Scand 68: 691, 1979.—The effect of exclusive breast feeding in the first few weeks after birth on infant morbidity due to infectious and allergic disorders was investigated in three separate prospective studies. In a rural community in India, breast-fed infants had a significantly lower incidence of respiratory infection, otitis, diarrhoea, dehydration and pneumonia. In an urban population in Canada, breast feeding was associated with a marked decrease in the occurrence of otitis and respiratory disease and to a lesser extent of diarrhoea and dehydration. In newborn siblings of children with atopic disease exclusively breast-fed for a minimum of six weeks, the incidence of eczema, recurrent wheezing, elevated serum IgE, IgE-antibodies to cow's milk, complement activation in vivo after milk challenge and hemagglutinating antibodies to β-lactoglobulin was significantly lower compared with formula-fed matched group. These observations provide clinical data attesting the immunologic advantages of human milk. |
