Human milk reduces outpatient upper respiratory symptoms in premature infants during their first year of life.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if ingestion of human milk after discharge reduces symptoms of infections in premature infants.


METHODS
Follow-up of 39 infants with birth weights <2000 g, 24 of whom received any amount of human milk and 15 of whom received only formula after discharge, was carried out. Mothers were given a calendar on which they recorded any signs of infections and feeding and day-care information. Data were collected at 1 month after discharge and at 3, 7, and 12 months corrected age.


RESULTS
Results show no differences between groups in birth weight, gestation, gender, maternal age, parental tobacco use, number of siblings, and day-care attendance. Socioeconomic status score was higher in the human milk group. Infants who received human milk had fewer days of upper respiratory symptoms at 1 month after discharge (p<0.025) and at 7 months corrected age (p<0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
Ingestion of human milk post discharge is associated with a reduction of upper respiratory symptoms in premature infants during their first year of life.
Blaymore Bier
Jo-Ann
JA
Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
Oliver
Tanya
T
Ferguson
Anne
A
Vohr
Betty R
BR
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012923:Social Class