Here's the abstract, Morgan.

Linda in NJ where we have nearly three feet of snow!


Pediatrics. 2009 Feb;123(2):483-93.

Does breastfeeding protect against substantiated child abuse and neglect? A
15-year cohort study.
Strathearn L, Mamun AA, Najman JM, O'Callaghan MJ.

Department of Pediatrics, The Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics,
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. [log in to unmask]

OBJECTIVES: We explored whether breastfeeding was protective against
maternally perpetrated child maltreatment. METHODS: A total of 7223
Australian mother-infant pairs were monitored prospectively over 15 years.
In 6621 (91.7%) cases, the duration of breastfeeding was analyzed with
respect to child maltreatment (including neglect, physical abuse, and
emotional abuse), on the basis of substantiated child protection agency
reports. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare no maltreatment
with nonmaternal and maternally perpetrated maltreatment and to adjust for
confounding in 5890 cases with complete data (81.5%). Potential confounders
included sociodemographic factors, pregnancy wantedness, substance abuse
during pregnancy, postpartum employment, attitudes regarding infant
caregiving, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. RESULTS: Of 512 children
with substantiated maltreatment reports, >60% experienced > or =1 episode of
maternally perpetrated abuse or neglect (4.3% of the cohort). The odds ratio
for maternal maltreatment increased as breastfeeding duration decreased,
with the odds of maternal maltreatment for nonbreastfed children being 4.8
times the odds for children breastfed for > or =4 months. After adjustment
for confounding, the odds for nonbreastfed infants remained 2.6 times
higher, with no association seen between breastfeeding and nonmaternal
maltreatment. Maternal neglect was the only maltreatment subtype associated
independently with breastfeeding duration. CONCLUSION: Among other factors,
breastfeeding may help to protect against maternally perpetrated child
maltreatment, particularly child neglect.

PMID: 19171613 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]




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