**Breastfeeding vs. formula for pre-term infants **
A new study concludes that pre-term infants fed breast milk develop
significantly fewer infections than those fed formula.  Researchers at
Georgetown University Medical Center studied infections rates in 212
pre-term, very low birthweight newborns to collect data.  They found
that 42.7% of formula-fed infants developed infections, compared to an
overall rate of 29.3% among those who were fed human breast milk.
Authors note that when other factors were taken into consideration, the
risk of infection among breast milk-fed infants was reduced by 57% and
say that the findings add to the body of evidence concerning the
immunological benefits of breastfeeding.  The study is in the Pediatrics

electronic pages (1998;102:e38).

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Cindy Curtis , RN, IBCLC  ~ Virginia , USA
ICQ # 412812          mailto:[log in to unmask]
Benefits of Breastfeeding Home Page http://www.erols.com/cindyrn