The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Abstract

Objectives: This case-control study was carried out to evaluate the effects of infant feeding pattern on hospital
admission due to infection. Patients and Methods: The study has included 498 infants (320 males and 178 females)
who attended primary health centers for routine check up and vaccination, and 250 infants admitted to Basrah
Maternity and children Hospital (164 males and 86 females), from the first of March 2008 till the end of June 2008,
their ages ranged from 1–12 months. Selected socio-demographic variables were evaluated in addition to child birth
variables, feeding pattern, cause of admission, duration of hospitalization and outcome. Results: The study revealed
a significantly higher percentage of admissions due to diarrhea and respiratory tract infection among infants peon
bottle feeding (23.8%, 15.6%) and partial breast feeding (16.4%, 11.6%), compared to those on exclusive (2% and
1.2%) and predominant breast feeding (11.2% and 10%), P value <0.001 and <0.01 respectively. The effects of
feeding pattern on the outcome have shown that there is a significant increase in the mortality among bottle fed
infants (4.8%) while none of admitted patients on exclusive breastfeeding died, P value <0.01. In addition, there is a
significant association between feeding pattern and duration of hospitalization (P value<0.05), history of previous
hospitalization (P value <0.05), mother age (P value<0.05), mother education (P value <0.001), and mother and
father employment, (P value <0.001 and 0.05 respectively). Conclusions: Feeding pattern among admitted cases
with infections is significantly associated with formula feeding and partial breast feeding compared to exclusive and
predominant breast feeding.