[Morbidity of Danish infants during their first months of life. Incidence and risk factors].
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the study was to describe accumulated incidences of common diseases among Danish children during their first months of life, and identify risks and protective factors.


METHODS
In 1995, mothers with Danish citizenship of 5998 randomly selected newborn children in Denmark were asked to participate in a national prospective study, representative of children of mothers with Danish citizenship. Mothers of 5429 infants participated and were interviewed when on an average their babies were 4 1/2 months old.


RESULTS
At the time of the interview, 85% of all infants had had a cold, 23% had been wheezing, 22% had had rash/eczema, 13% had had vomits, 11% had had diarrhoea, 11% had had high fever without other symptoms, 5% had suffered from middle ear infection, 5% had had pneumonia, 1% had had blood in stools and 1% had had convulsions, and 13% had suffered from other diseases. Maternal age and breastfeeding protected against diseases. Siblings, damp/cold housing, and the psychological stress of the mother increased the risks, whereas maternal smoking and low birth weight had no effect on most of the outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
This study underpins the significant importance of breastfeeding against morbidity and the augmented risks from siblings.
Nielsen
Anne Margrethe
AM
Statens Institut for Folkesundhed, Svanemøllevej 25, DK-2100 København ø. amn@si-folkesundhed.dk
Rasmussen
Søren
S
Christoffersen
Mogens Nygaard
MN
D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009017:Morbidity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires