Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

The purpose of this study was based on discovering a relation, it any, between breast feeding and the occurrence of sepsis in neonatal period.

Two hundred one-month-old healthy neonates (group I) and two hundred one-month-old neonates with proven sepsis (group /I) born in Tehran who were matched in every view points were studied. The data were collected by questionares, interviews, and medical charts reviews of mothers and their neonates.

The study was carried on from Februaty throuth June 1992 in fifteen hospitals in Tehran city.

In group I 67% were roomed-in with mothers, and breastfed by average eithteen hours and half after birth, 47% were exclusively breastfed, 76.5% were fed as of ten as they demands and not by any strict schedule. In group /I 63% were separted from their mothers and were fed by average 24-37 hours after birth, only 6% were exclusively breast fed, 40% were fed by strict schedule, and 50% were deprived from feeding during the night.

This study show that rooming-in , early feeding exclusively by breast milk, according to newborn's demand and not by any strict schedule has a definite role in reducing the occurrence of neonatal sepsis.