Breastfeeding and Otitis Media: A Review of Recent Evidence

Abstract

Human milk provides infants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory agents that contribute to optimal immune system function. The act of breastfeeding allows important bacterial and hormonal interactions between the mother and baby and impacts the mouth, tongue, swallow, and eustachian tubes. Previous meta-analyses have shown that lack of breastfeeding and less intensive patterns of breastfeeding are associated with increased risk of acute otitis media, one of the most common infections of childhood. A review of epidemiologic studies indicates that the introduction of infant formula in the first 6 months of life is associated with increased incidence of acute otitis media in early-childhood. More recent research raises the issues of how long this increased risk persists, and whether lack of breastfeeding is associated with diagnosis of otitis media with effusion. However, many studies suffer from lack of study of younger populations and imprecise definitions of infant feeding patterns. These findings suggest that measures of the association between breastfeeding history and otitis media risk are sensitive to the definition of breastfeeding used; future research is needed with more precise and consistent definitions of feeding, with attention to distinctions between direct breastfeeding and human milk feeding by bottle.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Otitis Media with Effusion in School Children in Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia

“…(30) In our study, children who were never breast fed during the first two years of life did not have higher prevalence of OME than those who had exclusive breast or mixed type of feeding (p=0.62; OR=0.87 95%=0.51-1.49). Our results are similar to those done by Glutekin et al and Tong et al (11,31) A protective effect of breast feeding against AOM in preschool children was reported by Abrahams et al (32) However, Sassen et al, found that 12 months after breastfeeding was discontinued, the risk was virtually the same as if the child had never been breastfed. (33) In our study, one quarter of children without OME went to day care centers in preschool years compared to 20% of those with OME.…”

Comparison of infant-feeding practices in two health subdistricts with different baby-friendly status in Mpumalanga province

“…24,25 Among the benefits for an infant, breastmilk provides most of the necessary nutrients, growth factors and immunological components a healthy term infant needs. Further possible advantages of breastfeeding include reduction of incidences and severity of infections, 10,26,27,28,29,30 prevention of allergies; enhancement of cognitive development 31 and prevention of obesity, 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 &= hypertension and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus 38 in later life as well as a possible beneficial effect on cardio-respiratory fitness in children and adolescents. 39 Analysis of data from a multicentre randomise controlled trial in Ghana, India and…”

Investigação das práticas maternas sobre aleitamento materno e sua relação com a infecção de vias aéreas superiores e otite média

“…These factors include the season of the year, presence of viral respiratory infection (due to overcrowding and spread of aerosols in winter), exposure to other children or the presence of siblings of school age, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (which reduces mucociliary function), reduced air clearance, lack of hygiene and the use of pacifiers. In addition to environmental factors, there is also a lack of maternal breastfeeding, early age and immature immune system, and possible genetic factors as a risk factor for otitis media 24,25 . Most of these risk factors increase the chances of colonization of the upper respiratory tract and nasopharynx by bacterial pathogens 9 .…”