Abstract

PIP: Although the crucial role of breastfeeding on the development of the young child is well established, the relation between children's hospital mortality and breastfeeding has not been studied. This study examines this relationship in 2339 Rwandese children admitted to the Centre Hospitalier Kigali with measles, diarrheal diseases, and acute lower respiratory disease (ALRD). These diseases are among the leading causes of illness and death in children in developing countries. 60% of the patients came from the city, and 40% from crowded rural communes surrounding Kigali. Pertinent demographic, anthropometric, medical, and clinical data were collected for each child. There were 1035 measles, 849 diarrheal diseases, and 455 ALRD cases. The mortality rates among children under 2 years of age with measles, diarrhea, and ALRD were significantly higher (1.5, 3.3, 2.1 times higher) when the children had been weaned than when they were still being breastfed. Older children had lower mortality rates. Superior survival rates in breastfed children were also found in successive 6-month age groupings. Differences in mortality for breastfed vs. weaned is significant for children under 1 year of age (p0.001) and for those aged 12 to 23 months (p0.001). The Pediatric Dept. of the Centre Hospitalier Kigali encourages mothers to continue breastfeeding their children.