Infant formula, also known as baby formula, is manufactured food fed to infants under twelve years. Mostly, parents of infants use it as an alternative to breast milk. There are many reasons why baby formula can substitute for breastfeeding. For example, if the mother is infected with HIV, the baby may be fed with infant formula to prevent mother to infant transmission. Another reason could be if the baby is considered at risk for malnutrition. On the flip side, baby formulas fed to the baby have been linked to health dangers that could threaten the health and the infant’s life. Here are some of the common dangers that you should know about.

Increased infectious morbidity

Research has shown that formula-fed infants are at a greater risk of infectious morbidity in the first year of life compared with breastfed infants. Infectious morbidity refers to the increased risk of illness. The formula-fed reason infants are likely to fall sick is due to the lack of immune factors present in the human milk.

Plasma cells present in the mother’s bronchial tree and intestine move to the mammary epithelium and aid in producing antibodies specific to antigens in the infant’s immediate environment, providing protection against pathogens in the mother’s environment. Hence, formula-fed infants lack the same protection from pathogens, which is part of the breastfeeding goals, hence increasing their likelihood of falling ill.

Necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a gastrointestinal problem that commonly affects infants or premature babies. The condition causes the intestine to inflame. This happens within the first couple of weeks of life in infants who are fed formula instead of breast milk. The condition occurs when the bacteria invade the wall of the baby’s intestine and inflammation sets in.

As a result, nasty germs possibly leak into the abdomen, leading to a serious infection. Studies have particularly linked cow-based baby formula to necrotizing enterocolitis, as in the Similac NEC baby formula lawsuit case. Premature babies have developed serious conditions from taking cow baby formulas such as Enfamil or Similac. If you have been affected, you can seek legal recourse against the manufacturers.

Increased risk of asthma

Studies have shown that babies are at an increased risk of asthma on the consumption of infant formulas. The risk is usually associated with the negative effect of heat on live microbes and sensitive proteins and fats in milk products. Therefore, the heated infant formulas lack the diverse microbiome that contains a variety of beneficial live bacteria strains. Studies have also shown that there are more significant risks of feeding infants with formulas who are born into families where there is a history of asthma.

Risk of gastrointestinal infections

Gastrointestinal infections are viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections that cause inflammation involving both the stomach and the small intestine. The infection is known as gastroenteritis. Multiple studies suggest that formulated infants are at a greater risk of gastroenteritis than exclusively breastfed infants.

Research shows that most formulas are now fortified and the iron-fortified and the iron content of formulas promotes the growth of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, which differ from the newborn gut bacteria. Moreover, the preparation processes of the formulas might eliminate the natural antiviral properties, exposing the baby to the risk of infection. 

Type 1 diabetes

Epidemiological studies previously published have demonstrated that exposure to cow’s milk antigen for infants has a direct correlation to type 1 diabetes. Some studies show cow’s milk formula also tends to increase the development of islet-cell antibodies, which contributes to the exposure to type 1 diabetes in infants.

Childhood cancer

Scientific studies have shown associations between formula feeding and childhood leukemia based on the hypothesis that immunoreactive factors in breast milk may prevent viral infections associated with leukemia pathogenesis. Meta-analyse studies revealed that there is indeed a higher risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia among formula-fed children compared with children who were breastfed for less than six months. Another study found a higher risk of acute myeloid leukemia in formula-fed infants compared with those who were breastfed.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Formula feeding is associated with an increased odds of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS compared with breastfeeding. Research conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome concluded that factors associated with formula feeding infants increased incidents of SIDS.

Wrapping up

Infants’ health and survival are hinged on breastfeeding during their infancy years. Human milk contains essential nutrients that help in improving the infant’s immunity, protecting them from illnesses. Formula feeding is a common alternative, albeit it comes with health risks to infants and mothers.

Published: 2022-04-28 21:22:06