NEW YORK New York: Infants who were fed exclusively breast milk while hospitalized at birth were 22 percent less likely to develop childhood asthma, a team of researchers said Friday. However Hospitalization lasts only a few days, but it sets an important foundation for establishing breastfeeding, which can impact health outcomes such as childhood asthma, according to research from the American Academy of Pediatrics in Orlando, Florida. Presented during the '2024 National Conference and Exhibition'.

According to Laura Plakey Ward, MD, co-director of the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, the study particularly underscores the importance of hospital practices in supporting breastfeeding, because these early experiences can affect long-term health. The authors noted that while long-term and exclusive breastfeeding is known to reduce the risk of asthma, the impact of breastfeeding during birth and hospitalization is less understood. Among the 9,649 babies included in the study Of those, 81 percent received some breast milk and 31 percent received exclusively breast milk during hospitalization at birth. Five percent were diagnosed with asthma.

Infants who received only breast milk had lower rates of asthma diagnosis than infants who received no breast milk or who received only breast milk, after adjusting for sex, race, and insurance status. “In addition, infants who received breast milk for the first time also had lower rates of asthma than infants who did not receive breast milk for the first time,” the findings showed. By focusing on these critical early days, we can impact children's health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases like asthma,” Ward said. The study authors noted that this finding has implications for life expectancy. Highlights the need for greater emphasis on supporting and promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the early days.