Breastfeeding protects kids

Mother's milk may protect their babies from the adverse effects of environmental pollution, suggests a new research. A new study from the University of the Basque Country, Spain finds that breastfeeding may lessen the negative impact of some environmental pollutants common to high-traffic areas. Researcher Aitana Lertxundi set out to study the developmental repercussions of exposure to PM2.5 pollution particle matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the first years of life. Among the results, she found an inverse relationship between exposure to pollution particle matter and babies' motor development. She also studied the effects of NO2 on mental development. In breastfed babies, neither the PM2.5 particle matter nor the NO2 were shown to have a harmful effect on babies for at least four months, suggesting that breastfeeding has a protective effect. Samples from 638 pregnant women and their babies at 15 months old have so far been analyzed.