Newborns exclusively fed colostrum within their first 72 hours following birth were less likely to develop some food allergies, new research suggests.
A first-of-its-kind study found such babies were five times less likely to develop a peanut allergy by 12-18 months, and 11 times less likely to develop multiple food allergies, such as egg or cow’s milk, compared with infants who also received formula during that period.
The study, led by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and UWA, has been published in the journal, Allergy.
Using data from 666 infants, researchers compared the risk of developing food allergies at 12-18 months of age between infants who were exclusively fed colostrum (ECF) in the first 72 hours after birth and those who were only partially fed colostrum (PCF) during the same period.
The team used hospital records to determine how the infants were fed and gathered their food allergy data from their paediatric appointments at 12-18 months.
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More than half of the 666 infants were classified as PCF, having received formula supplementation within their first 72 hours of life.
Lead author Professor Valerie Verhasselt, Head of Immunology and Breastfeeding at The Kids Research Institute Australia said the study found increased risk of peanut allergy was most pronounced in PCF infants, while it remained very low in ECF infants.
“This suggests that ECF is a primary preventive strategy, whereas early peanut introduction is a risk mitigating strategy that might be especially relevant for the higher-risk PCF infants,” she said.
“Strikingly, we observed that nine or more colostrum feedings per day might fully protect the infants against peanut allergy.”
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Professor Verhasselt said it was important to recognise that not all mothers were able to breastfeed, whether due to personal circumstances, health conditions, or medical needs that require supplementation for their newborns.
She said it was imperative that parents of children who received formula during their first 72 hours of life were given clear, supportive guidance on how to reduce their child’s risk of developing allergies.
“For infants who receive only partial colostrum feeding in the first 72 hours, it is especially important for parents to provide as much colostrum as possible and to introduce allergens into their child’s diet earlier, as recommended by current guidelines,” Professor Verhasselt said.
“It is our hope that we can continue to increase awareness of colostrum feeding through providing evidence-based education to early life healthcare providers, and empower all parents with clear, informative resources to help them make informed decisions for themselves and their newborns, in collaboration with their healthcare team.”
In 2022, allergies cost the Australian healthcare system more than $7 billion, with 12,000 hospitalisations and an estimated 20 deaths from anaphylaxis.
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