THE IMPACT OF BREAST FEEDING ON GROWTH, MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AMONG LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS

Abstract

Breast feeding for four to six months is a recent recommendation for whole infants especially low birth weight among which prematures are included and considered as • vulnerable group. This research is a prospective case control aims at revealing the impact of breast feeding on growth, morbidity and mortality of this group. It included two groups which were chosen from NICU in Kasr EI-Aini one of them (100 cases) were educated about breast feeding while the other (I 00 control) were left without education. The two groups were seen at 3 and 6 months of age. The results revealed that a difference was found between breast fed and formula fed as regard growth in favour of breast feeding. As regards morbidity, the breast fed infants showed significantly lower rate of morbidity especially diarrhoea 26.4% vs 36% at the age of3 months and 33.9% vs 50% at the age of 6 months. Acufe lower respiratory infection was also lower among breast fed group 17.6% vs 22% and 33.9% vs 62% at 3 and 6 months respectively. The mortality rate was 7% (70% ) of them was due to pneumoma.