Can breastfeeding help protect babies from wheezing?
New research published 2 May 2017 in the European Respiratory Journal by AllerGen trainee Lorena Vehling and AllerGen investigator Dr. Meghan Azad shows that breastfed babies have a reduced rate of wheezing, putting them at a lower risk for asthma later on.
The study also finds that among “high-risk” infants born to mothers with asthma, breastfeeding is especially protective against wheezing.
The study, “Breastfeeding, maternal asthma, and wheezing in the first year of life: a longitudinal birth cohort study,” analyzes data from 2,700 infants and their parents participating in the CHILD Study.