Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration, Infant Growth, and Infectious Morbidity in Term Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Study
- 1Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing Faculty of Nursing Zagazig University.
- 2Fourth-Year Undergraduate Nursing Student, Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University.
- 3Fourth-Year Undergraduate Nursing Student, Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University
Abstract
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months may support infant growth and reduce common infections, although early introduction of other feeds remains frequent. Evidence examining growth and infectious morbidity together in Egyptian primary healthcare settings is limited. Aim: This study assessed associations between EBF duration, growth, and maternal-reported infectious morbidity among healthy term infants in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 398 healthy term infants attending 10 primary healthcare and vaccination centers. Infants were categorized by EBF duration (<6 or ≥6 months). Outcomes were World Health Organization weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and weight-for-length (WLZ) Z-scores, estimated monthly weight and length gain, and maternal-reported diarrhea or gastroenteritis, acute respiratory illness, otitis media, and any infectious illness. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated repeated growth measures, and Poisson regression estimated morbidity incidence. Results: EBF was maintained for ≥6 months by 215 infants (54.0%). At 12 months, infants in the ≥6-month group had higher WAZ and LAZ than those in the <6-month group, with differences of 0.39 (95% CI 0.23–0.55) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.27–0.59), respectively. Monthly weight and length gains were greater by 54 g and 0.14 cm. The ≥6-month group had lower rates of any infectious illness (IRR 0.68), diarrhea or gastroenteritis (IRR 0.49), acute respiratory illness (IRR 0.69), and otitis media (IRR 0.53). Each additional month of EBF was associated with higher WAZ and LAZ and lower infectious morbidity (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.96). Conclusion: EBF for ≥6 months was associated with higher WAZ and LAZ and fewer maternal-reported infectious episodes during infancy.
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BibTeX
@article{hanfy2026exclusive,
title = {{Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration, Infant Growth, and Infectious Morbidity in Term Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Study}},
author = {Miada Mohamed Ali Hanfy and Tasneem Adel Gomaa Mohamed and Tasneem Abdelhalim Mohmoud and Taghreed Akmal Sayed Ahmed and Taghreed Ali Ibrahim Mohamed Salem and Taghreed Mohamed Mohamed Abdelhalim and Tasneem Abdelraoof Abdelraoof and Taqwa Mohamed Abdelaleem Ali and Toka Yasser Abdelmohsen Metwally and Tawfek Ahmed Tawfek Ahmed and Thrwat Elsayed Mohamed},
journal = {Egyptian Journal of Health Care},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.21608/ejhc.2026.533619},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhc.2026.533619},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration, Infant Growth, and Infectious Morbidity in Term Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Study
AU - Miada Mohamed Ali Hanfy
AU - Tasneem Adel Gomaa Mohamed
AU - Tasneem Abdelhalim Mohmoud
AU - Taghreed Akmal Sayed Ahmed
AU - Taghreed Ali Ibrahim Mohamed Salem
AU - Taghreed Mohamed Mohamed Abdelhalim
AU - Tasneem Abdelraoof Abdelraoof
AU - Taqwa Mohamed Abdelaleem Ali
AU - Toka Yasser Abdelmohsen Metwally
AU - Tawfek Ahmed Tawfek Ahmed
AU - Thrwat Elsayed Mohamed
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Egyptian Journal of Health Care
DO - 10.21608/ejhc.2026.533619
UR - https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhc.2026.533619
AB - Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months may support infant growth and reduce common infections, although early introduction of other feeds remains frequent. Evidence examining growth and infectious morbidity together in Egyptian primary healthcare settings is limited. Aim: This study assessed associations between EBF duration, growth, and maternal-reported infectious morbidity among healthy term infants in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 398 healthy term infants attending 10 primary healthcare and vaccination centers. Infants were categorized by EBF duration (<6 or ≥6 months). Outcomes were World Health Organization weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and weight-for-length (WLZ) Z-scores, estimated monthly weight and length gain, and maternal-reported diarrhea or gastroenteritis, acute respiratory illness, otitis media, and any infectious illness. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated repeated growth measures, and Poisson regression estimated morbidity incidence. Results: EBF was maintained for ≥6 months by 215 infants (54.0%). At 12 months, infants in the ≥6-month group had higher WAZ and LAZ than those in the <6-month group, with differences of 0.39 (95% CI 0.23–0.55) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.27–0.59), respectively. Monthly weight and length gains were greater by 54 g and 0.14 cm. The ≥6-month group had lower rates of any infectious illness (IRR 0.68), diarrhea or gastroenteritis (IRR 0.49), acute respiratory illness (IRR 0.69), and otitis media (IRR 0.53). Each additional month of EBF was associated with higher WAZ and LAZ and lower infectious morbidity (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.96). Conclusion: EBF for ≥6 months was associated with higher WAZ and LAZ and fewer maternal-reported infectious episodes during infancy.
SN - 3009-6766
SN - 1687-9546
ER -