Cytokines, infections, stress, and dysphoric moods in breastfeeders and formula feeders.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze relationships between stress, moods, and immunity in breastfeeding compared to formula-feeding mothers.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 181 healthy mothers, exclusively breastfeeding or formula feeding, studied at 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth.


METHODS
Mothers were recruited in the postpartum unit of the hospital and then visited in their homes once at 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth for data collection.


METHODS
Stress, mood, infection symptoms, and serum levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 were measured.


RESULTS
Formula-feeding mothers had evidence of decreased interferon-gamma and a decreased serum Th1/Th2 ratio (interferon-gamma/interleukin-10) when perceived stress, dysphoric moods, and negative life events were high, an effect consistent with depression of cellular immunity. However, women who were breastfeeding did not show these relationships.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that breastfeeding confers some psychoneuroimmunological benefit to mothers, perhaps through prolactin or hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenocortical axis stress refractoriness.
Groer
Maureen W
MW
University of South Florida College of Nursing, Tampa, USA. groer@hsc.usf.edu
Davis
Mitzi W
MW
D000328:Adult; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000276:immunology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000276:immunology; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011388:Prolactin