Babies Who Got Only Breast Milk in Hospital Have Lower Asthma Rates

FRIDAY, Sept. 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- If you think it isn't important to start breastfeeding your newborn while still in the hospital, think again.

New research shows that infants who were exclusively fed breast milk during their hospitalization right after birth were 22% less likely to develop asthma in early childhood.

The findings, to be presented Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., held even after adjusting for maternal race, insurance, infant sex and length of hospital stay.

“Although the birth hospitalization lasts only a few days, it sets a critical foundation for establishing breastfeeding, which can influence health outcomes like childhood asthma,” said study author Dr. Laura Placke Ward, co-director for the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“Our study underscores the importance of hospital practices in supporting exclusive breastfeeding, as these early experiences may impact long-term health,” she added in a meeting news release.

While longer periods of exclusive breastfeeding are known to reduce asthma risk, the benefits of breastfeeding right after birth and before mom and baby leave the hospital is less well understood, the study authors noted.

"Breast milk is the optimal nutrition for newborns, and breastfed infants have a decreased risk of developing many childhood illnesses, including asthma," the researchers said. "Studies have shown that longer periods of exclusive breastfeeding confer greater protection against asthma, but few studies have evaluated the impact of birth hospital feeding patterns on childhood asthma."

In the latest study, 81% of the 9,649 newborns received some breast milk while still in the hospital, while 31% exclusively received breast milk. In total, 5% were later diagnosed with asthma.

Infants who got only breast milk had a lower rate of asthma diagnosis compared to those who did not receive any breast milk or who did not receive breast milk exclusively in those early days. Additionally, infants whose first feeding was breast milk also had a lower rate of asthma compared to those whose first feeding wasn't breast milk.

“This finding highlights the need for greater emphasis on supporting and promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the early days of life,” Ward said. “By focusing on these crucial first days, we may impact children's health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic conditions like asthma.”

Because these findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has more on breastfeeding and asthma.

SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics, news release, Sept. 27, 2024