Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection)

The risk of developing an ear infection increases as the amount of breast milk an infant receives decreases. When compared with exclusively breastfed infants, infants who were exclusively formula-fed had a 70% increase in their risk of developing an ear infection.
Scariati PD et al. "A longitudinal analysis of infant morbidity and the extent of breastfeeding in the United States." Pediatrics 1997 Jun;99(6):E5

In infants who were breast fed until at least 12 months of age, the percentage of any otitis media was 19% lower, and of prolonged episodes (> 10 days) was 80% lower than formula-fed infants. The mean duration of episodes of otitis media was longer in formula-fed than breastfed infants (8.8 vs 5.9 days, respectively).
Dewey KG et al. "Differences in morbidity between breast-fed and formula-fed infants." J Pediatr 1995 May;126(5 Pt 1):696-702

Infants exclusively breast-fed for 4 or more months had half the number of acute otitis media episodes as did those not breastfed at all, and 40% less than those infants whose diets were supplemented with other foods prior to 4 months. The recurrent otitis media rate in infants exclusively breast-fed for 6 months or more was 10% and was 20.5% in those infants who breast-fed for less than 4 months.
Duncan B et al. "Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis media." Pediatrics 1993 May;91(5):867-72

Short duration of breastfeeding involved another significant risk of recurrent respiratory infections and otitis media.
Alho, O., "Risk Factors for Recurrent Acute Otitis Media and Respiratory Infection in Infancy". INT J PED OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY 1990; 19:151-61

Significantly increased risk for acute otitis media as well as prolonged duration of middle ear effusion were associated with male gender, sibling history of ear infection and not being breast fed.
Teele, D.W., Epidemiology of Otitis Media During the First Seven Years of Life in Greater Boston: A prospective, Cohort Study". J of INFEC DIS.1989.

(See also: Duffy 1997, Aniansson 1994, Harabushi 1994, Paradise 1994, Sassen 1994, Owen 1993, Gulick 1986, Saarinen 1982)

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