Longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding may protect against childhood asthma, according to a study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Keadrea Wilson, MD, and colleagues investigated the association among 2,021 motherchild dyads. Among women, 33% reported 0 to less than 2 months of breastfeeding, 13% 2-4 months, 9% 5-6 months, and 45% more than 6 months. Any breastfeeding had a protective linear trend only for ever asthma. The protective effect was duration dependent for exclusive breastfeeding and current asthma (aORs, 95% CI, 0.64 [0.41-1.02], 0.61 [0.38-0.98], and 0.52 [0.31- 0.87] for 2-4 months, 5-6 months, and more than 6 months, respectively). Protective associations with exclusive breastfeeding tended to be stronger in dyads with children born by vaginal versus cesarean delivery. “Our study strengthens current breastfeeding recommendations which reflect recent analysis that show lower risk of asthma with more versus less breastfeeding,” Dr. Wilson said in a statement.
