The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $3 million to support Rush University Medical Center’s study analyzing how human breast milk impacts the health outcomes and health care cost savings for very low birth weight infants - babies less than 1500 grams. The grant will enable researchers at Rush to [...]
Once believed to be important only for bone health, vitamin D is now seen as having a critical function in maintaining the immune system throughout life. The newly recognized disease risks associated with vitamin D deficiency are clearly documented in a report in the December issue (Volume 3, Number 4) of Breastfeeding Medicine, [...]
Some economists predict that the U.S. birth rate could decline as a result of the economic crisis, as many couples decide to postpone or not have children because of financial difficulties, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to the Times, declines in the U.S. fertility rate have followed economic recessions for about 75 [...]
Children of mothers who took acid-suppressive drugs during pregnancy had a 1.5 times higher incidence of asthma when compared to children who were not exposed to the drugs in utero, finds a large population-based study by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston. The findings, accompanied by an editorial, appear online this week in “Early View” in [...]
A study comparing breastfed and formula fed infants across time showed that the known beneficial effects of breastfeeding are greater than the potential risks associated with infant exposure to chemicals such as dioxins that may be present in breastmilk, according to a report published in the December issue (Volume 3, Number 4) of [...]