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Breast-Feeding and the Development of Cows’ Milk Protein Allergy

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Short and Long Term Effects of Breast Feeding on Child Health

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 478))

Abstract

Early feeding with cows’ milk (CM) may cause cows’ milk allergy (CMA). Breast milk contains many immune factors which compensate for the undeveloped defence mechanisms of the gut of the newborn infant. We studied the effect of supplementary CM feeding at the maternity hospital on the subsequent incidence of CMA, the effects of formula and breast feeding on the subsequent immunologic types of CMA, and the importance of immune factors present in colostrum in the immune responses of infants with CMA. In a cohort of 6209 infants, 824 were exclusively breast-fed and 87% required supplementary milk while in the maternity hospital: 1789 received CM formula, 1859 pasteurized human milk, and 1737 whey hydrolysate formula. The cumulative incidence of CMA, verified by a CM elimination-challenge test, was 2.4% in the CM, 1.7% in the pasteurized human milk and 1.5% in the whey hydrolysate group. Among these infants, exposure to CM at hospital and a positive atopic heredity increased the risk of CMA. Of the exclusively breast-fed infants, 2.1 % had CMA. Risk factors for the development of IgE-mediated CMA were:exposure to CM at hospital, breast-feeding during the first 8 weeks at home either exclusively or combined with infrequent exposure to small amounts of CM and long breast-feeding. The content of transforming growth factor- β 1(TGF-β1) in colostrum from mothers of infants with IgE-mediated CMA was lower than from mothers of infants with non-IgE-mediated CMA. In infants with CMA, TGF- β 1 in colostrum negatively correlated with the result of skin prick test and the stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to CM, but positively with infants’ IgA and IgG antibodies to CM proteins. Feeding of CM formula at maternity hospital increases the risk of CMA, but exclusive breast-feeding does not eliminate the risk. Prolonged breast-feeding exclusively or combined with infrequent exposure to small amounts of CM during the first 8 weeks induces the development of IgE-mediated CMA. Colostral TGF- β 1 may inhibit IgE-and cell mediated reactions and promote IgG-IgA antibody production to CM in infants prone to developing CMA.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospitalfor Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    K. M. Saarinen M.D., K. Juntunen-Backman M.D. & E. Savilahti M.D.

  2. Helsinki City Maternity Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    A-L. Järvenpää M.D.

  3. NationalPublic Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    P. Klemetti M.D. & O. Vaarala M.D.

  4. Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland

    P. Kuitunen M.D. & L. Lope M.D.

  5. Deptartment of Obstetrics, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinkl, Finland

    M. Renlund M.D.

  6. Departmentof Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    M. Siivola PhD.

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  1. K. M. Saarinen M.D.
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  6. L. Lope M.D.
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  7. M. Renlund M.D.
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  8. M. Siivola PhD.
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  9. O. Vaarala M.D.
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Berthold Koletzko

  2. The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    Kim Fleischer Michaelsen

  3. University of Ume^, Ume005E;, Sweden

    Olle Hernell

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© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Saarinen, K.M. et al. (2002). Breast-Feeding and the Development of Cows’ Milk Protein Allergy. In: Koletzko, B., Michaelsen, K.F., Hernell, O. (eds) Short and Long Term Effects of Breast Feeding on Child Health. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 478. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46830-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46830-1_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-46405-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-46830-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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