Exclusive Breast-Feeding for at Least 4 Months Protects Against Otitis Media

Abstract

Objective. This study was designed to assess the relation of exclusive breast-feeding, indepen- dent of recognized risk factors, to acute and recurrent otitis media in the first 12 months of life. Methods. Records of 1220 infants who used a health maintenance organization and who were followed dur- ing their first year of life as part of the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study were reviewed. Detailed prospective information about the duration and exclusiveness of breast-feeding was obtained, as was information relative to potential risk factors (socioeconomic status, gender, number of siblings, use of day care, maternal smoking, and family history of allergy). Acute otitis media and recurrent otitis media, defined as three or more episodes of acute otitis media in a 6-month period or four episodes in 12 months, were the outcome variables. Results. Of the 1013 infants followed for their entire first year, 476 (47%) had at least one episode of otitis and 169 (17%) had recurrent otitis media. Infants exclusively