Breastfeeding and Health Outcomes for Infants and Children: A Systematic Review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review synthesizing 29 existing systematic reviews and 145 primary studies
PubMed 40240318 · doi:10.1542/peds.2025-071516
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review searching MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL from 2006 to August 14, 2024, for English-language studies evaluating breastfeeding exposures and health outcomes among term infants in developed countries. They extracted data from and synthesized 29 existing systematic reviews and 145 newer primary studies across diverse health outcomes.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical effect sizes, relative risks, or odds ratios. Comparatively higher vs lower breastfeeding exposure was associated with a reduced risk of moderate-to-severe respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, otitis media, allergic rhinitis, asthma, malocclusion, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, rapid weight gain and growth, obesity, high systolic blood pressure, childhood leukemia, and infant mortality. No clear duration threshold was identified for optimal benefit, and data regarding delivery mode (direct vs expressed) or milk source were sparse.
Why it matters
This review provides an updated, comprehensive synthesis of pediatric health outcomes associated with breastfeeding to inform clinical guidelines and public health recommendations in developed nations.
Limits
The underlying evidence base is composed of observational studies subject to confounding, missing data, and inconsistent exposure definitions. Numerical effect estimates and confidence intervals were omitted from the abstract.
Cited by
- context Breastfeeding through the second year of life pulls down the high vault of the palate and widens the nasal passages compared to standard bottle feeding.