Breastfeeding does not protect against urinary tract infection in the first 3 months of life, but vitamin D supplementation increases the risk by 76%

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2009 Sep;48(7):750-5. doi: 10.1177/0009922809332588. Epub 2009 Mar 4.

Abstract

Our goal was to determine if breastfeeding provides any protection against urinary tract infection (UTI) and if vitamin D supplementation imposes any additional risks for UTI in infants < 3 months of age. In this study, 40% of the children who had urine cultures were breastfed, and 18.7% of the children were exclusively breastfed. Twenty percent of all of the urine cultures tested positive, and this number was greater in females (22.5%) than in males (18.1%, P < .05). There was no significant difference between the rates of positive urine cultures in exclusively breastfed (22% vs 21%, nonsignificant [NS]) formula-fed infants. The relative risk of UTI with breastfeeding versus formula feeding was 1.03 (0.58-1.82), and any breastfeeding versus no breastfeeding was 0.92 (0.58-1.45). Vitamin D supplementation increased the UTI risk, with a relative risk of 1.76 (1.07-2.91, P < .05). However, only formula-fed infants showed an increased risk of UTI after vitamin D supplementation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bottle Feeding
  • Breast Feeding*
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk
  • Sex Factors
  • Urinary Tract Infections / prevention & control*
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D