Infants Fed Only Breast Milk at Birth in Hospital Have a Lower Risk of Childhood Asthma

Infants who are fed exclusively breast milk during their hospitalization at birth are considerably less likely to develop asthma in early childhood, according to a study recently presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition.

The study comprised of 9,649 children, of which 81% received some breast milk and 31% exclusively received breast milk during birth hospitalization. Five percent of the population had a diagnosis of asthma.

The findings showed that infants who received only breast milk had a 22% lower rate of asthma diagnosis compared to those who did not receive any breast milk or did not receive breast milk exclusively after adjusting for sex, race, and insurance status. Moreover, the researchers observed that infants whose first feeding was breast milk also had a lower rate of asthma compared to those whose first feeding was non-breast milk.

“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 Laura Placke Ward MD, IBCLC, FAAP, a study author and co-director for the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center via a press release. “Our study underscores the importance of hospital practices in supporting exclusive breastfeeding, as these early experiences may impact long-term health.”