Soy allergy following early soy feeding in neonates.
B ACKGROUND:Feeding neonates with humanized milk formula in maternity hospitals may increase the prevalence of milk allergy in infants. However, prospective studies of the possible allergenic effect of very early soy-based formula feeding are lacking.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of soy allergy in infants fed soy-based formula in the first 3 days of life.


METHODS
The study group included 982 healthy full-term infants born within a 7 month period at a hospital that routinely uses soy-based formula to supplement breastfeeding. In-hospital feeding was recorded and the parents were interviewed once monthly over the next 6 months regarding feeding practices and clinical symptoms suggesting soy allergy in the infant.


RESULTS
Ninety-nine percent of the infants received soy-based formula supplement in hospital, and 33%-42% at home. No cases of immediate allergic reaction to soy or soy-induced enterocolitis were reported.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of soy-based formula in the early neonatal period does not apparently increase the prevalence of soy allergy in infants followed for the next 6 months.
Kipper Institute of Immunology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Nimrod
N
Nachmias
Yaakov
Y
Landman
Yehuda L
YL
Danon
Yael
Y
Levy
D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D045730:Soy Foods / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000276:immunology*