title: The relationship of breastfeeding to antimicrobial exposure in the first year of life.
abstract: We assessed the relationship between breastfeeding and antimicrobial use in the first year of life in healthy infants by surveying a military population of healthy term infants with questionnaires obtained at the 6-month and 12-month well-baby visits. Breastfed (BF) babies spent 48% as much time receiving antimicrobials by 6 months of age and 47.4% by 12 months of age as compared to formula-fed peers. Breastfed babies also showed significant differences in use of second-line agents at both 6 months (BF=5.5%, Non-BF=19%) and 12 months (19% BF, nonBF=36.9%). These results suggest that breastfeeding decreases exposure of infants to antimicrobials throughout the first year of life and also decreases use of second-line antibiotics in the first year of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fairchok
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents