Breastfeeding Benefits & Barriers: Prevention of Allergies & Asthma

Businco evaluated the prophylactic effect of exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age on the development of atopic disease in 101 newborns with a strong family history of allergic disease. This study further confirmed that prolonged breastfeeding or breastfeeding supplemented with soy milk decreased the incidence of atopic disease by 2 years of age ( Businco, 1983 ).

A Finnish study showed a significant decrease in substantial atopic disease at age 17 years for children breastfed for more than 6 months compared to not breastfed or breastfed for less than one month ( Saarinen, 1995 ).

Some mothers with a strong family history of allergy, may need to eliminate some allergy causing foods from their diet while breastfeeding ( Businco, 1983 and Sigurs, 1992 ).

Breastfeeding is not a guarantee that a child will not have allergies, but should reduce the risk of allergic disease.

Exclusive breastfeeding up to 4 months of age was associated with a reduced risk of asthma diagnosed by a physician (with an odds ratio of 1.25); a reduced risk of wheezing at 5 years of age (OR: 1.31); and a reduced risk of sleep disturbance due to wheezing at 5 years of age (OR: 1.42) ( Oddy, 1999 ).

A meta-analysis of the association of breastfeeding and asthma in 12 prospective studies that met inclusion criteria found a summary odds ratio of 0.7 (95% CI 0.6, 0.81) for the protective effect of breastfeeding. These studies all evaluated exclusive breastfeeding for at least 3 months ( Gdalevich, 2001 ).