Breastfeeding and Infant Illness in Bangladesh
Author Information
Author(s): Mihrshahi Seema, Oddy Wendy H, Peat Jennifer K, Kabir Iqbal
Primary Institution: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh
Hypothesis
Does exclusive breastfeeding reduce the prevalence of diarrhoea and respiratory infections in infants?
Conclusion
Exclusive breastfeeding significantly lowers the rates of diarrhoea and respiratory infections in infants in rural Bangladesh.
Supporting Evidence
- Infants exclusively breastfed for six months had a lower prevalence of diarrhoea.
- The study followed infants from birth to six months to assess health outcomes.
- Partially breastfed infants had a higher prevalence of diarrhoea compared to exclusively breastfed infants.
- The study suggests that both exclusive and predominant breastfeeding can reduce morbidity.
Takeaway
If babies are only fed breast milk for the first six months, they get sick less often. But even just giving them mostly breast milk helps too.
Methodology
A cohort study followed 351 pregnant women and their infants, recording breastfeeding practices and illness prevalence at monthly home visits.
Potential Biases
Families who completed the study were more likely to have stable family structures, which may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study included infants who received prelacteal feeds in the exclusive breastfeeding category, which may have affected the results.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of mothers was 22.63 years, with a majority having no formal education.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.10, 5.69
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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