Effects of Breastfeeding on the Development of Allergies / 한양의대학술지

ABSTRACT

Breastfeeding has many positive nutritional and other benefits that influence the maturation of the gastrointestinal mucosa and microflora of the newborn infants. Furthermore, there is evidence that exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4 months protects against atopic dermatitis and early wheezing in infancy, and immunomodulatory reactions of human milk contributes to the reduction of allergic diseases. Some conflicting reports suggest that breastfeeding provides risk for asthma development if there is a positive family history of allergy. Nevertheless breastfeeding is thought to be associated with a lower asthma risk in young children. Consequently exclusive breastfeeding is highly recommended for all infants at both high and low risk of atopy and irrespective of atopic maternal history for at least 4 to 6 months. For the prevention of allergies, however, exclusion of highly allergenic foods such as peanut and eggs from the maternal diet in the sensitized atopic mother during lactation and supply of extensively hydrolyzed food for the high risk infants is necessary.