title: Exclusive breastfeeding: protective efficacy.
abstract: A longitudinal study of feeding practices of and morbidity in 537 infants was undertaken. Feeding practices were assessed at monthly follow-up visits. All infants were initially exclusively breastfed but their percentage dropped to 59.8% and 35.3% at the end of 3 months and 6 months respectively. Exclusively breastfed babies were three-times less likely to fall sick than artificially fed babies. Exclusive breastfeeding was also associated with significantly lowered rate of serious illnesses as shown by fewer rate of hospitalisation (0.52/100 children months vs 4.5/100 children months). Premature introduction of supplementary feeding diluted the protective effects of breastmilk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dr. R.N. Cooper Hospital, Juhu, Bombay.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Kasla
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bavdekar
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Hathi
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends*; D012016:Reference Values