ArticleBMC public health2023
Exploring the relationship between breastfeeding and the incidence of infant illnesses in Ireland: evidence from a nationally representative prospective cohort study.
Article in BMC public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Exclusive breastfeeding and infant colic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2026Pooled it
- Evaluation of a complex intervention: the Latch On randomized controlled trial of multicomponent breastfeeding support for women with a raised body mass index.Journal of public health (Oxford, England) · 2025Trial
- Probiotic Supplementation to Prevent Diaper Dermatitis in Antibiotic-Treated Neonates: Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Mastitis and Mammary Abscess Management Audit (MAMMA): A Survey of Patients' Perspective on the Management of Mammary Abscesses in the UK.The breast journal · 2026Article
- Research on the construction of a Chinese indicator system for college students' multidimensional health.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Article
- Research Trends on Self-Efficacy in Breastfeeding Mothers During 2000-2023: A Bibliometric Analysis.Turkish archives of pediatrics · 2024Article
- 'It's far from the norm': breastfeeding beyond 1 year in the Republic of Ireland.Health promotion international · 2024Article
- Maternal smoking around birth and its influence on offspring allergic diseases: A mendelian randomization study.The World Allergy Organization journal · 2024Article
- Article
- A Narrative Review of Culturally Informed Breastfeeding Interventions for African American Women.The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursingReview
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIreland has one of the lowest BF rates in the world. This study investigates the association between breastfeeding and infant health in Ireland.
methodsA cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected from Growing Up in Ireland (GUI): the National Longitudinal Study of Children was conducted. The average morbidity for 2212. infants exclusively breastfed for at least 90 days (EBF90days) was compared to data for 3987 infants in the non-breastfed (Non-BF) group. Data were weighted using entropy balancing to ensure the comparability of groups. Sensitivity analyses considered alternative definitions of the breastfeeding group.
resultsInfants who were EBF90days were significantly less likely to be admitted to hospital (CI: - 0.06 to - 0.03), spent less nights in hospital (CI: - 0.37 to - 0.11), and were less likely to develop respiratory diseases including asthma (CI: - 0.03 to - 0.01), chest infections (CI: - 0.12 to - 0.08), snuffles/common colds (CI: - 0.07 to - 0.02), ear infections (CI: - 0.08 to - 0.04), eczema (CI: - 0.08 to - 0.04), skin problems (CI: - 0.04 to - 0.00), wheezing or asthma (CI: - 0.06 to - 0.03), vomiting (CI: - 0.03 to - 0.00), and colic (CI: - 0.04 to - 0.01). Further outcomes such as current health of the infant at time of interview (CI: - 0.04 to - 0.00), feeding problems (CI: - 0.04 to - 0.02) and sleeping problems (CI: - 0.02 to - 0.00) indicated a protective effect of EBF90days versus Non-BF. However, these infants were also more likely to fail to gain weight (CI: 0.01 to 0.02) and were at a slightly higher risk of developing nappy rash (CI: 0.00 to 0.02).
conclusionExclusive breastfeeding for 90+ days is associated with protection against childhood morbidity. Given the protective effect of breastfeeding on adverse health effects in infants, policy makers should prioritise policies that support, promote and protect exclusive breastfeeding.
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