- Breastfeeding Benefits
- For Parents
- For Health Professionals
- News Room
- Press Releases and Statements
- BPA and Infant Formula Packaging
- Advances in Infant Feeding Over 25 Years
- BPA Toxicokinetics
- BPA and Brain Effects
- BPA and Breast Cancer
- BPA in Premature Infants
- Breastfeeding Support
- Breastfeeding and Risk of Later Life Obesity
- Breastfeeding and Use of Human Milk
- Breastfeeding in Developed Countries
- FDA Reaffirms the Safety of BPA; States Additional Research is Needed
- FDA Risk Assessment on BPA
- FDA Science Board and BPA
- Fortified Milks Reduce Infant Morbidity
- Genistein and Soy Baby Formula
- HHS Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign
- Health Canada Announcement on BPA
- Health Canada Reaffirms BPA Safety
- IFC Comments on the April 2010 Pediatrics Article
- IFC Comments on the Report of the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity
- IFC Statement on the National Toxicology Program Center
- Infant Feeding Effects on Obesity
- Infant Feeding Effects on Obesity Article Published
- Infant Feeding and Chronic Diseases
- Infant Formula Safe and Healthy
- Infant Formula Safe and Healthy for Babies
- Infant Formula and 3-MCPDs
- Infant Formula and DHA/ARA
- Infant Formula and Melamine
- Infant Formula and Obesity
- Infant Formula and Perchlorate
- Innovation of Infant Formula Products and DHA/ARA
- International Formula Council Launches Expanded Online Resource for Parents and Caregivers
- Iron Study in Mice
- Iron Study in Mice Critique
- Key Nutrients Crucial for Older Child Development
- Melamine in Chinese Infant Formulas
- Mothers Need Infant Feeding Information
- Mothers Right to Choose Bottle or Breast
- NTP Report on BPA
- Positive Health Contributions of Infant Formula
- Soy Baby Formula Safe for Babies
- Soy Baby Formula Safety
- Support for Positive Promotion of Breastfeeding
- Traveling with Babies
- Urinary BPA Concentrations and Chronic Diseases
- Vitamin D Supplementation for Babies
- WHO Child Growth Charts
- What Mothers Should Know About Infant Formula
- Newsletter
- Video Library
- Press Releases and Statements
- Research Update
- Allergy/Asthma
- Breastfeeding
- Breastfed Babies and Iron Deficiency
- Breastfeeding Legislation Increases Rates
- Breastfeeding Rates Affected by Work
- Breastfeeding Rates and Gift Packs
- Breastfeeding and Cholesterol
- Breastfeeding and GI Disease and Iron Deficiency
- Gender Differences in Breastfed Preterms
- Iron Supplementation of Breastfed Babies
- Is Breast Really Best
- Lactation Support Important
- Promotion of Breastfeeding
- DHA/ARA
- Infant Feeding
- IQ
- Overweight/Obesity
- FAQs
- Other Resources
Related Articles
Breastfeeding and IQ in Babies
Recent Studies Address Whether Breastfeeding Can Increase a Child's IQ
A recent study by Kramer et al. published in Arch Gen Psychiatry in May 2008 provides evidence that breastfeeding promotion to mothers can results in infants with higher IQ than infants whose mothers receive no encouragement to breastfeed. The study design was a large randomized trial where some hospitals used baby friendly hospital practices to promote breastfeeding, whereas other hospitals did not. The mothers in each group were similar at entry regarding maternal education. Prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding was significantly increased in the intervention group, as was IQ of the children in this group at 6.5 years, as measured by two different scales of intelligence (Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence (WASI) and teachers’ academic rankings).
A strength of this study was the randomization of infants into two groups, which minimized any potential differences between infants. The randomization and the absence of differences in maternal education suggest comparable maternal IQ in the two groups and help to ensure the validity of the relationship between breastfeeding and IQ. One limitation due to the nature of the intervention (cluster hospital based) is that pediatricians who administered the IQ tests were not blinded to the intervention status of the children they examined. However, the authors also conducted blinded audits among a randomly selected subsample, and assessed scores of school performance among those children who had begun school, given by teachers who were blinded to treatment; these supplemental assessments gave similar results as obtained for the full cohort follow-up.
The mechanism of how breastfeeding and IQ are related is unknown. Kramer states, “it remains unclear whether the observed cognitive benefits of breastfeeding are due to some constituent of breast milk or are related to the physical and social interactions inherent in breastfeeding.” More research on this topic is needed.
*Kramer, M.S., Aboud, F., Mironova, E. et al. Breastfeeding and Child Cognitive Development.
Arch Gen Psychiatry.
2008; 65: 578-584.