BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

Chapter XII. Breast Feeding
265
of mothers with no education and 53.3 per centage for the latter group (37.6) was sigcent
of those with secondary or university nificantly lower.
education breast fed their babies for one These observations should be of concern
month or longer,
to educators and health officials because the
Plank and Milanesi (1973) state that the success of efforts to promote breast feeding
data from their study of rural communities among population groups in which this
in Chile suggest that early weaning may be aoeg
a concomitant of socioeconomic develop- l)ractice is lifesaving requires that the betment.
They found that a higher proportion ter-edicated women participate actively
(62.3 per cent) of mothers with at least six (Guthric and Guthrie, 1966). Convincing
years' education weaned their children be- such mothers of the advantages of breast
fore 6 months of age than did those with feeding is essential in order to enlist their
less than three years' schooling; the per- active participation.
DIARRHEAL DISEASE AND BREAST FEEDING
The protection afforded by human milk Second, a constituent in human milk, the
against infection has been the subject of bifidus factor (or factors), promotes the
numerous studies, as reviewed recently by development of the characteristic microflora
Mata and Wyatt (1971). There seems to be of the intestinal tract, thereby creating an
a general consensus that breast feeding, unfavorable environment for implantation
when compared to other sources of nutrients, of pathogenic bacteria and protozoa.
is accompanied by lower rates of attack by Third, other protective components of
infectious diseases and that such protection human milk such as lysozymne (Rosenthal
is not limited to defense against infections and Liehernian, 1931), antibody-producing
of the intestinal tract. The following are cells, and phagocytic cells of colostrum (and
five main mechanisms through which human milk) play a role in the limitation of infecmilk
spares infants from infective and tion by certain bacteria.
parasitic diseases.
Fourth, although breast milk may con-
First, human colostrum is very rich in tain a few bacteria, under certain circumimmunoglobulins
against bacterial and viral stances its use saves susceptible infants
diseases. All these imnmunoglobulins (except from being exposed to ingestion of large
IgA synthesized by the mammary gland) amounts of pathogenic bacteria and proarc
very similar to those found in blood tozoa in localities where clean water and
serum. Although their levels decrease after hygienic facilities are not available.
parturition they remain in significant levels Finally, and no less important, is the
in milk for prolonged periods (Mata and overall protection provided by a satisfac-
Urrutia, 1971). These antibodies, acting in tory nutritional state resulting from adthe
intestine, protect the infant from the equate intake of necessary nutrients, and
effects of continuous exposure to infection the safeguards it affords against repeated
in developing areas.
episodes of infection.