Breastfeeding
is an incomparable emotional experience for mothers and babies.
Scientific support keeps getting stronger because solid medical
research articles keep affirming the overwhelming nutritional
and immunological superiority of human milk for human babies
I
have always enjoyed scanning medical databases for new breastfeeding
articles but this collection was gathered by Ginna Wall, MN, IBCLC
and Jon Ahrendsen, MD, FAAFP who have given their kind permission
for its presentation here.
For
a frank discussion with your dentist, skip right to the dental
caries articles. Families with premies need to look hard at the
RSV research and the NEC articles among others. Neonatologists
need them, too.
The
brain grows better with breastmilk as has been shown over and
over again in research about IQ, motor development and vision.
The
articles about decreased incidence of malignancy and diabetes
are worth a read in their entirety when you have a chance to get
to MEDLINE
or Pubmed.
View
the entire contents of this report by clicking here:
Outcomes of Breastfeeding Versus Formula Feeding
Diarrhea
An episode of diarrhea was significantly less likely to last
for six or more days if an infant was breastfed for three or more
months. Baker D et al. "Inequality in infant
morbidity: causes and consequences in England in the 1990s."
J Epidemiol Community Health 1998 Jul;52(7):451-8
The risk of developing
diarrhea increases as the amount of breastmilk an infant
receives decreases. When compared with exclusively
breastfed infants, infants who were exclusively formula-fed had
an 80% increase in their risk of developing diarrhea. Scariati
PD et al. "A longitudinal analysis of infant morbidity
and the extent of breastfeeding in the United States."
Pediatrics 1997 Jun;99(6):E5
Necrotizing
Enterocolitis
The benefits of improved health (less sepsis and necrotizing
enterocolitis) associated with the feeding of fortified human
milk outweighed the slower rate of growth observed in this
study of 108 preterm infants. Infants fed human milk were
discharged an average of 15 days earlier than infants preterm
formula. Schanler RJ, et al. "Feeding strategies
for premature infants: beneficial outcomes of feeding fortified
human milk versus preterm formula." Pediatrics 1999
Jun;103(6 Pt 1):1150-7
Among babies born
at more than 30 weeks gestation, confirmed necrotizing enterocolitis
was rare in those whose diet included breastmilk; it was 20 times
more common in those fed formula only. Lucas, A., Cole, T.J.,
"Breast Milk and Neonatal Necrotizing Enteral Colitis".
Lancet 1990; 336:1519-23
Otitis
Media And Uris (Old News And New News)
Significantly increased
risk for acute otitis media as well as prolonged duration
of middle ear effusion were associated with male gender, sibling
history of ear infection and not being breast fed. Teele, D.W.,
Epidemiology of Otitis Media During the First Seven Years of Life
in Greater Boston: A prospective, Cohort Study". J of INFEC
DIS.1989.
In infants who
were breast fed until at least 12 months of age, the percentage
of any otitis media was 19% lower, and of prolonged episodes
(> 10 days) was 80% lower than formula-fed infants.
The mean duration of episodes of otitis media was longer in formula-fed
than breastfed infants (8.8 vs 5.9 days, respectively).
Dewey KG et al. "Differences in morbidity between breast-fed
and formula-fed infants." J Pediatr 1995 May;126(5
Pt 1):696-702
The risk of developing
an ear infection increases as the amount of breastmilk an infant
receives decreases. When compared with exclusively breastfed
infants, infants who were exclusively formula-fed had a 70%
increase in their risk of developing an ear infection.
Scariati PD et al. "A longitudinal analysis of infant
morbidity and the extent of breastfeeding in the United States."
Pediatrics 1997 Jun;99(6):E5
Infants who were
not being breast fed were 17 times more likely than those being
breast fed exclusively to be admitted to hospital for pneumonia.
Cesar JA et al. "Impact of breast feeding on admission
for pneumonia during postneonatal period in Brazil: nested case-control
study. BMJ 1999 May 15;318(7194):1316-1320
Odds of respiratory
illness with maternal smoking were 7 times higher among children
who were never breastfed then among those who were breastfed.
Woodward A et al. "Acute Respiratory Illness in Adelaide
Children: BreastFeeding Modifies the Effect of Passive Smoking".
J Epidemiol Community Health 1990 Sep;44(3):224-30
Respiratory Syncytical Virus (RSV)
Breastfeeding was associated with a lower incidence of
RSV infection during the first year of life. Holberg,C.J.,
"Risk Factors for RSV Associated Lower Respiratory Illnesses
in the First Year of Life". AM J Epidemiol 1991; 133 (135-51)
Sepsis
in Preterm Infants
The incidence of any infection and sepsis/meningitis are
significantly reduced in human milk-fed VLBW infants compared
with exclusively formula-fed VLBW infants. Hylander MA et
al. "Human milk feedings and infection among very low
birth weight infants." Pediatrics 1998 Sep;102(3):E38
Urinary
Tract Infections (UTI)
Breastfed infants have a relative risk of developing a
UTI of 0.38 compared to formula-fed infants. Pisacane
A et al. "Breast-feeding and urinary tract infection."
J Pediatr 1992 Jan;120(1):87-9
Cryptorchidism
(Undescended Testicle)
This case-controlled study showed a significant association
of cryptorchidism and lack of breastfeeding. Mori, M. "Maternal
and other factors of cryptorchidism: a case-control study in Japan"
Kurume Med J, 1992:39:53-60
Gastroesophageal
Reflex
Breastfed neonates demonstrate gastroesophageal reflux episodes
of significantly shorter duration than formula fed neonates.
Heacock, H.J., "Influence of Breast vs. Formula Milk in Physiologic
Gastroesophageal Reflux in Health Newborn Infants". J. Pediatr
Gastroenterol Nutr, 1992 January; 14(1): 41-6
Inguinal
Hernia
Human milk contains gonadotropin releasing hormone, which
may affect the maturation of neonatal testicular function.
This case-control study showed breastfed infants had a significant
dose response reduction in inguinal hernia. Pisacane,
A. "Breast-feeding and inguinal hernia" Journal of Pediatrics
1995:Vol 127, No. 1, pp 109-111
Juvenile
Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA)
Children who have had JRA, especially pauciarticular JRA, are
less likely to have been breastfed than controls, suggesting
that breast feeding may have a protective effect on the development
of JRA. Lower odds ratio were noted for increased durations
of breast feeding. Mason T et al. "Breast feeding
and the development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis."
J Rheumatol 1995 Jun;22(6):1166-70
Autoimmune
Thyroid Disease
Feeding practices in infancy may affect the development of various
autoimmune diseases later in life. Thyroid alterations
are among the most frequently encountered autoimmune conditions
in children. A detailed history of feeding practices was
obtained in 59 children with autoimmune thyroid disease, their
76 healthy siblings, and 54 healthy nonrelated control children.
The frequency of feedings with soy-based milk formulas in early
life was significantly higher in children with autoimmune thyroid
disease (prevalence 31%) as compared with their siblings (prevalence
12%), and healthy nonrelated control children (prevalence 13%).
Fort P, et al. Breast and soy-formula feedings in early
infancy and the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease in children.
J Am Coll Nutr. 1990 Apr;9(2):164-7.
Pyloric
Stenosis
Infants with pyloric stenosis were less likely to have been breastfed
during the first week of life. Pisacane A, et al.
Breast feeding and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: population based
case-control study. BMJ. 1996 Mar 23;312(7033):745-6.
Wheezing
Children who had ever been breast fed had a lower incidence of
wheeze than those who had not (59% and 74% respectively).
The effect persisted to age 7 years in the non-atopics only, the
risk of wheeze being halved in the breast fed children.
Burr ML, et al. "Infant feeding, wheezing, and allergy:
a prospective study." Arch Dis Child 1993 Jun;68(6):724-8
Allergies
in general
2187 children were followed to age 6 years to study the association
between duration of exclusive breast feeding and asthma or atopy.
After adjustment for confounders, the introduction of milk other
than breastmilk before 4 months of age was a significant risk
factor for all asthma and atopy related outcomes in children aged
6 years. A significant reduction in the risk of childhood
asthma at age 6 years occurs if exclusive breast feeding is continued
for at least the 4 months after birth.
Oddy WH et al. "Association between breast feeding
and asthma in 6 year old children: findings of a prospective birth
cohort study." BMJ 1999 Sep 25;319(7213):815-9
A birth cohort
was followed-up to age 4 years. By age 4 years, 27% of the
children had symptoms of allergic disease. Family history
of atopy was the single most important risk factor for atopy in
children. Sibling atopy was a stronger predictor of clinical
disease than maternal or paternal atopy. Formula-feeding
before 3 months of age predisposed to asthma at age 4 years (OR:
1.8). Tariq SM, et al. The prevalence of and risk
factors for atopy in early childhood: a whole population birth
cohort study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1998 May;101(5):587-93.
Eczema was less
common and milder in babies who were breast fed (22%) and
whose mothers were on a restricted diet (48%). In
infants fed casein hydrolysate, soymilk or cows milk, 21%, 63%,
and 70% respectively, developed atopic eczema. Chandra R.K.,
"Influence of Maternal Diet During Lactation and the Use
of Formula Feed and Development of Atopic Eczema in the High Risk
Infants". Br Med J. 1989
Cognitive
Development
Increasing duration of breastfeeding was associated with consistent
and statistically significant increases in 1) intelligence
quotient assessed at ages 8 and 9 years; 2) reading comprehension,
mathematical ability, and scholastic ability assessed during the
period from 10 to 13 years; 3) teacher ratings of reading
and mathematics assessed at 8 and 12 years; and 4) higher levels
of attainment in school leaving examinations. Breastfeeding
is associated with small but detectable increases in child cognitive
ability and educational achievement. These effects are 1) pervasive,
being reflected in a range of measures including standardized
tests, teacher ratings, and academic outcomes in high school;
and 2) relatively long-lived, extending throughout childhood into
young adulthood. . Horwood LJ, Fergusson DM. "Breastfeeding
and later cognitive and academic outcomes." Pediatrics
1998 Jan;101(1):E9
IQ
A review of 20 published studies on the effects of breastfeeding
on infant IQ found that breastfed babies' IQs may be 3 to 5 points
higher than those of formula-fed babies. The longer a
baby is breast-fed, the greater the benefits to his or her IQ.
These benefits were seen from age 6 months through 15 years.
Anderson JW et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
Oct 1999, 70.
Children who had
consumed mother's milk by tube in early weeks of life had a
significantly higher IQ at 7.5 to 8 years, than those who
received no maternal milk, even after adjustment for differences
between groups and mothers' educational and social class.
Lucas, A., "Breast Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient
in Children Born Preterm". Lancet 1992;339:261-62
PKU IQ
School-age phenylketonuric children who had, as infants, been
breastfed 20-40 days prior to dietary intervention scored
significantly better (IQ advantage of 14.0 points, p =
0.01) than children who had been formula fed. A 12.9 point
advantage persisted also after adjusting for social and maternal
education status. Riva E et al. "Early breastfeeding
is linked to higher intelligence quotient scores in dietary treated
phenylketonuric children. Acta Paediatr 1996 Jan;85(1):56-8
In 771 low birth
weight infants, babies whose mothers chose to provide breastmilk
had an 8 point advantage in mean Bayley's mental developmental
index over infants of mother choosing not to do so. Morley, R.,
"Mothers Choice to provide Breast Milk and Developmental
Outcome". Arch Dis Child, 1988
Psychomotor
and Social Development
Infants (4 to 6 months old) looked at a mobile significantly longer
when tested after breastfeeding. This finding suggests
that breastfeeding has a substantial effect on infants' attentiveness
to and interaction with their environment. Gerrish CJ and
Mennella JA. "Short-term influence of breastfeeding
on the infants' interaction with the environment. Dev Psychobiol
2000 Jan;36(1):40-48.
Hormones
And More
Hormones, growth factors, cytokines and even whole cells are
present in breastmilk and act to establish biochemical and immunological
communication between mother and child. In addition,
milk nutrients such as nucleotides, glutamine and lactoferrin
have been shown to influence gastrointestinal development and
host defense. Bernt KM and Walker WA. "Human
milk as a carrier of biochemical messages." Acta Paediatr
Suppl 1999 Aug;88(430):27-41.
Erythropoietin
stimulates production of red blood cells and is used in the treatment
of anemia of prematurity. Human milk contains considerable
amounts of erythropoietin which resist degradation after exposure
to gastric juices at physiologic pH levels. Kling PJ
et al. "Human milk as a potential enteral source of
erythropoietin." Pediatr Res 1998 Feb;43(2):216-21
Preterm
infants demonstrated a higher oxygen saturation and a higher
temperature during breastfeeding than during bottle feeding, and
were less likely to desaturate to <90% oxygen during breastfeeding.
Blaymore Bier JA et al. "Breastfeeding infants who
were extremely low birth weight. Pediatrics 1997 Dec;100(6):E3
In this study of
330 8-year-old children from Southern Tasmania, those who were
breastfed had higher bone mineral density at the femoral neck,
lumbar spine and total body compared with those who were bottle-fed.
This association remained significant after adjustment for size,
lifestyle factors and socioeconomic factors. Breastfeeding
for less than 3 months was not associated with increased bone
mass at any site. Jones G, Riley M, Dwyer T. Breastfeeding
in early life and bone mass in prepubertal children: a longitudinal
study. Osteoporos Int 2000;11(2):146-52
Breast
Cancer in Adulthood
Having been breastfed as an infant has been associated
with a 20-35% reduction in risk of premenopausal breast cancer
in four of six studies evaluating this factor. Potischman-N;
Troisi-R. "In-utero and early life exposures in relation
to risk of breast cancer." Cancer-Causes-And-Control.
1999; 10 (6): 561-573
Women who were
breastfed as infants, even if only for a short time, showed
an approximate 25% lower risk of developing premenopausal or postmenopausal
breast cancer, compared to women who were bottle-fed as an
infant. Freudenheim, J. "Exposure to breastmilk in infancy
and the risk of breast cancer." Epidemiology 1994 5:324-331
Childhood
Cancer
In a case-controlled study of 593 cases of cancer in Moscow
children 0 to 14 years of age, the positive trend of increased
risk of cancer with decreasing duration of breastfeeding was
significant for all cancer combined. Smulevich VB, Solionova LG,
Belyakova SV. “Parental occupation and other factors and
cancer risk in children: I. Study methodology and non-occupational
factors.” Int J Cancer 1999 Dec 10;83(6):712-7.
Children who are
artificially fed or breastfed for only 6 months or less, are at
an increased risk of developing cancer before age 15. The risk
of artificially-fed children was 1-8 times that of long-term breastfed
children, and the risk for short term feeders was 1-9 times that
of long term breast feeders. Davis, M.K. "Infant Feeding
and Childhood Cancer." Lancet 1988 13;2(8607):365-8.
Hodgkin's
Disease
This review of 9 published case-control studies suggests that
children who are never breast-fed or are breast-fed short-term
have a higher risk than those breast-fed for > 6 months of
developing Hodgkin's disease, but not non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or
acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Davis MK. "Review
of the evidence for an association between infant feeding and
childhood cancer." Int J Cancer Suppl 1998;11:29-33
A statistically
significant protective effect against Hodgkin's disease among
children who are breastfed at least 8 months compared with children
who were breastfed no more than 2 months. Schwartzbaum,
J. "An Exploratory Study of Environmental and Medical Factors
Potentially Related to Childhood Cancer." Medical & Pediatric
Oncology, 1991; 19 (2):115-21.
Leukemia
and Lymphoma
This case-controlled study of 117 Bedouin Arab children showed
that breastfeeding for less than six months was associated with
an odds ratio of 2.79 for contracting a lymphoid malignancy
compared with children breastfed longer than six months.
European Journal of Cancer2001 January;37:234-238.
A total of 1744
children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 1879
matched control subjects, aged 1-14 years, and 456 children with
acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 539 matched control subjects,
aged 1-17 years, were studied. Ever having breast-fed was
found to be associated with a 21% reduction in risk of childhood
acute leukemias. The inverse associations were stronger
with longer duration of breast-feeding. Shu XO etal,
"Breast-feeding and risk of childhood acute leukemia.
J Natl Cancer Inst 1999 Oct 20;91(20):1765-72
In interviews with
the mothers of 2,200 children affected by either acute lymphoblastic
leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the infant-feeding
history of each of these children was compared with that of over
2,400 healthy controls. The investigators found that
a history of breastfeeding was associated with a reduction in
risk of childhood acute leukemias. Babies who are breast-fed
for as little as one month have a 20% lower risk of childhood
leukemia than bottle-fed babies, and babies breast-fed for more
than 6 months have an even lower risk -- 30% less. Robison
L et al. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1999;91:1765-1772.
Dental
Health
In this study of 260 children ages 3-5, the authors concluded
that breastfeeding for more than 40 days may act preventively
and inhibit the development of nursing caries in children.
Oulis CJ et al. “Feeding practices of Greek children with
and without nursing caries.” Pediatr Dent 1999 Nov-Dec;21(7):409-16
This study estimated
the prevalence of early childhood caries and related behavioral
risk factors in a population of low-income, Mexican-American children
in Stockton, California. Data was collected on 220
children ages six years or less using a parent-completed questionnaire
and clinical dental examinations. Mean age at weaning
from breast-or bottle-feeding and patterns of bottle use during
sleep did not differ significantly between children with caries
and those without. Ramos-Gomez-FJ et al. "Assessment
of early childhood caries and dietary habits in a population of
migrant Hispanic children in Stockton, California."
Journal-Of-Dentistry-For-Children 1999; 66 (6): 395-403, 366
This in-vivo and
in-vitro study showed that human breastmilk is not cariogenic.
Erickson PR, Mazhari E. "Investigation of the role
of human breastmilk in caries development." Pediatr
Dent 1999 Mar-Apr;21(2):86-90
Children who were
either never breast-fed or only until 3 months exhibited a
significantly higher caries prevalence than those breast-fed for
a longer time. Mattos-Graner RO et al. "Association
between caries prevalence and clinical, microbiological and dietary
variables in 1.0 to 2.5-year-old Brazilian children. Caries
Res 1998;32(5):319-23
A strong association
was found between exclusive bottle-feeding and anteroposterior
malocclusion. Davis DW, Bell PA. "Infant feeding
practices and occlusal outcomes: a longitudinal study."
J Can Dent Assoc 1991 Jul;57(7):593-4
Among breastfed
infants, the longer the duration of nursing the lower the incidence
of malocclusion. Labbok, M.H. "Does Breast Feeding Protect
against Malocclusion? An Analysis of the 1981 Child Health Supplement
to the National Health Interview Survey". American Journal
of Preventive Medicine, 1987.
Diabetes
Diabetes is less common among breast-fed children (6.9 and
30.1% among offspring of nondiabetic and diabetic women, respectively)
than among bottle-fed children (11.9 and 43.6%, respectively).
Pettitt DJ, Knowler WC. "Long-term effects of the intrauterine
environment, birth weight, and breast-feeding in Pima Indians."
Diabetes Care 1998 Aug;21 Suppl 2:B138-41
Children who developed
IDDM in New South Wales, Australia, were compared to healthy children
of the same sex and age. Those who were exclusively breastfed
during their first three months of life had a 34% lower risk of
developing diabetes than those who were not breastfed.
Children given cow's-milk-based formula in their first three months
were 52% more likely to develop IDDM than those not given cow's
milk formula. Diabetes Care 1994;17:1381-1389, 1488-1490.
Juvenile
Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA)
Children who have had JRA, especially pauciarticular JRA,
are less likely to have been breastfed than controls, suggesting
that breast feeding may have a protective effect on the development
of JRA. Lower odds ratio were noted for increased durations
of breast feeding. Mason T et al. "Breast feeding
and the development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis."
J Rheumatol 1995 Jun;22(6):1166-70
Multiple
Sclerosis
Although thought to be multifactorial in origin, and without
a clearly defined etiology, lack of breastfeeding does
appear to be associated with an increased incidence of multiple
sclerosis. Dick, G. "The Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis."
Proc Roy Soc Med 1976;69:611-5
Obesity
A German study of 9357 children aged 5-6 years of age found
that infants fed only breastmilk until 3-5 months were more than
a third less likely to be obese than infants fed formula from
the start. Infants breastfed exclusively for 6-12
months were 43% less likely to be obese. Breastfeeding
beyond 12 months was better still, giving infants a 72% lower
chance of becoming obese children. After adjusting for potential
confounding factors, breastfeeding remained a significant protective
factor against the development of obesity. von Kries, R.
"Breast feeding and obesity: cross sectional study."
BMJ 1999; 319: 147-150.
Teenagers!
Children who were breast fed for a longer duration were
more likely, at age 15-18 years, to report higher levels of parental
attachment and tended to perceive their mothers as being more
caring and less overprotective towards them compared with
bottle-fed children. After adjustment for maternal and perinatal
factors, the duration of breastfeeding remained significantly
associated with adolescent perceptions of maternal care, with
increasing duration of breast feeding being associated with higher
levels of perceived maternal care during childhood. Fergusson
DM, Woodward LJ. "Breast feeding and later psychosocial
adjustment." Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1999 Apr;13(2):144-57
Vaccine
Response
The antibody levels of immunized infants were significantly
higher in the breastfed than the formula-fed group.
These findings are strong evidence that breastfeeding enhances
the active humoral immune response in the first year of life.
Papst, H.F. , Spady, D.W. "Effect of Breast Feeding on Antibody
Response to Conjugate Vaccine". Lancet, 1990
The breastfed
group had significantly higher antibody levels than two formula-fed
groups together. Breastfed infants thus showed better
serum and secretory responses to perioral and parenteral vaccines
than the formula fed, whether with a conventional or low-protein
content. Van-Coric, M. "Antibody Responses to Parental
& Oral Vaccines Where Impaired by Conventional and Low-Protein
Formulas as Compared to Breast Feeding". Acta Paediatr Scand
1990; 79: 1137-42
Osteoporosis
The odds ratio that a woman with osteoporosis did not breastfeed
her baby was 4 times higher than for a control woman.
Blaauw, R. et al. "Risk factors for development of osteoporosis
in a South African population." SAMJ 1994; 84:328-32.
Whether or not
women had ever breastfed, total duration of breastfeeding and
duration of breastfeeding per child were not associated with
reduced bone mineral, but breastfeeding for more than 8 months
was associated with greater bone mineral at some sites.
Melton L et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and other
reproductive factors on bone mass later in life." Osteoporos
Int 1993 Mar;3(2):76-83
Mothers who breastfed
exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in
hip circumference and were less above their prepregnancy weights
at 1 month postpartum than mothers who fed formula exclusively.
Kramer, F., "Breastfeeding reduces maternal lower body fat."
J Am Diet Assoc 1993;93(4):429-33
Child
Abuse
Encouraging early mother-infant contact with suckling and
rooming-in may provide a simple, low-cost method for reducing
infant abandonment. The mean infant abandonment rate
decreased from 50.3 per 10,000 births in the first 6 years to
27.8 per 10,000 births in the next 6 years following implementation
of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative at a Russian hospital.
Lvoff-NM et al. Effect of the baby-friendly initiative on
infant abandonment in a Russian hospital. Archives-Of-Pediatrics-And-Adolescent-Medicine.
MAY 2000; 154(5):474-477.
A retrospective
review of 800 pregnancies at one family practice revealed
an association between lack of breastfeeding and physical and
sexual abuse of the mother and/or her children. This
anecdotal association has not been previously reported, is worth
further study using more rigorous methods. Acheson, L.,
"Family Violence and Breast-feeding" Arch Fam Med July
1995; Vol 4,pp 650-652
Financial
Cost to Government and Families
Food Expense
The cost to supply artificial baby milk (ABM) to one child
is between $1,160 and $3,915 per year depending on the brand.
Even mothers on WIC need to buy approximately 200 cans of concentrate
to feed her infant in the first year. Breastfeeding Support
Consultants, Information on Infant Feeding Costs, April 1998
(based on Illinois and North Carolina suburban supermarket prices).
Medical
Expenses
In the first year of life, after adjusting for confounders,
there were 2033 excess office visits, 212 excess days of hospitalization,
and 609 excess prescriptions for these three illnesses per 1000
never-breastfed infants compared with 1000 infants exclusively
breastfed for at least 3 months. These additional health care
services cost the managed care health system between $331 and
$475 per never-breastfed infant during the first year of life.
Ball TM, Wright AL. "Health care costs of formula-feeding
in the first year of life." Pediatrics 1999 Apr;103(4
Pt 2):870-6
Compared with formula-feeding,
breast-feeding each infant enrolled in WIC saved $478 in WIC costs
and Medicaid expenditures during the first 6 months of the infant's
life. Montgomery DL, Splett PL. "Economic benefit
of breast-feeding infants enrolled in WIC." J Am Diet
Assoc 1997 Apr;97(4):379-85
If women breast-fed
each child for at least 6 months, the total projected savings
over a 7.5-year period ranges from $3,442 to $6,096 per family.
This translates into an estimated yearly savings of between $459
and $808 per family. Savings were calculated based on estimates
of the resulting decrease in infant morbidity, maternal fertility,
and formula purchases. Tuttle CR, Dewey KG. "Potential
cost savings for Medi-Cal, AFDC, food stamps, and WIC programs
associated with increasing breast-feeding among low-income Hmong
women in California. J Am Diet Assoc 1996 Sep;96(9):885-90
View
the entire contents of this report by clicking here:
Outcomes of Breastfeeding Versus Formula Feeding |