ABSTRACT
To determine the morbidity and mortality patternin breast fed and non breast fed infants. Prospective hospital based, case study. Department of Paediatrics, Allied Hospital Faisalabad. 6 months [Feb - Jul 1997] 200 cases were studied [110 males, 90 females]. 84% of infants were home deliveries, 96.5% were full term for gestational age. Prelacteal feeds were given to 98% of infants, breast milk is offered only to 2% of infant.60% had first degree malnutrition, 15% had second degree and 17.5% had third degree malnutrition. 52.5% of infants had gastro intestinal upsets as chief complaint, 18% had respiratory and 12% had septicaemia. The breast fed infants [64] had 98 episode of illness as compared to bottle fed intfants[70] who had 323 episode while mixed feeding numbers 66 had 190 episodes of illness. Most of the deaths [9 out of 14] were below the age of three month, only one breastfed infant died whereas 9 infants who died were bottle fed and 4 were mix feeding. Sepsis was the most common cause of death [8 out of 14]. None of these was breastfed infant. Education of the mothers, discouraging the prelacteal feeds at birth and promotion of the breast feeding through media should be encouraged