A longitudinal study of 105 poor, migrant women, their households and infants of ≤8 months of age in Sonora, Mexico was undertaken. The research was performed to elucidate, among other things, the relationship between infant feeding and morbidity. The families all resided in 12 squatter settlements of Hermosillo. Mean age of infants as of the first interview was 4.6 months. Mean age at sevrage was 7.26 months and all but 10 women reported to have initiated breast feeding. Upper respiratory and gastrointestinal infections were most common and appeared to be seasonal. Some protection from infection was provided by increased frequency of breast feeding (alpha <.05). Infants being breast fed, even if only partially, were less likely to require hospitalization. Morbidity over the course of the study was independent of family income and infant's age. Many study mothers sought medical attention for their infant's illnesses. More breast feeding both in terms of duration and frequency, could considerably reduce the high cost of health care for poor families. © 1988 Pergamon Press plc.

artificial feeding Infant nutrition Breast feeding morbidity Infection

infant feeding artificial feeding female major clinical study Infant priority journal normal human infection morbidity Breast Feeding human