Comparison Between Exclusively and Non-Exclusively Breastfed Infants for the Development of Acute Respiratory Infections and Diarrhe

Faiza  Zeb; Amjad iqbal; Muhammad Fahad; Saad Ateeq

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v76iSUPPL-5.13420

Authors

Faiza Zeb Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Amjad iqbal Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Muhammad Fahad Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Saad Ateeq Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76iSUPPL-5.13420

Keywords:

Acute Respiratory Infection, Breastfeeding, Diarrhea, Infant

Abstract

Objective: To compare the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and diarrhea in exclusively breastfed infants versus those not exclusively breastfed from the second to the sixth month of life.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: Pediatrics Department of Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, Pakistan from Jul 2024 to Jan 2025.

Methodology: Infants were divided into Group-A (n=260), who were exclusively breastfed and Group-B (n=260), who were non-exclusively breastfed. Infants were followed up for feeding habits and incidence of ARI and diarrhea from the 60^th till the 180th day of life. Primary variables studied were the incidence of ARI and diarrhea during the duration of the study protocol. Odds ratio was calculated for the same.

Results: Incidence of ARI was seen in 72(27.7%) infants in Group-A versus 133(51.2%) infants in Group-B (p<0.001). Incidence of diarrhea was seen in 69(26.5%) patients in Group-A versus 154(59.2%) infants in Group-B (p<0.001). The odds of developing ARI were 2.73 times higher than those who were exclusively breastfed, and the odds of developing diarrhea was 4.02 times greater than those non-exclusively breastfed.

Conclusion: We conclude that exclusive breast feeding from the second to the sixth moth of life results in decreased incidence of ARI and diarrhea in infants and also results in decreased number of episodes of both conditions seen in these infants

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