Impact of breast milk on respiratory outcomes in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Background: The objective of our study was to examine whether outpatient respiratory morbidities in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are influenced by the human milk consumption. Methods: Caregivers of subjects recruited from a BPD clinic completed questionnaires regarding breast milk intake and respiratory outcomes. Results: One-hundred eighty-eight caregivers completed the questionnaire. Of these, 173 (92.0%) reported that the child received some breast milk. Infants who received breast milk for fewer months were more likely to be non-white, and have a lower household income, public insurance, and secondhand smoke exposure. A longer receipt of breast milk was associated with reduced likelihoods of emergency department visits, systemic steroid courses, and cough or chest congestion, and a trend towards a lower risk of re-hospitalizations. Conclusions: Longer duration of breast milk intake was associated with markers of higher socio-economic status, and reduced likelihood of acute and chronic respiratory morbidities among preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.