Exploring the potential role of breast-feeding in the recovery of acute malnutrition among infants aged below 6 months

Globally, 4.7 million infants under 6 months (U6M) suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Recent data suggests that survival of these infants during and after admission is very poor. In a clinical trial, mortality among SAM infants u6m followed up for 1 year after discharge from treatment was 31 per 100 child years and weight gain was poor. Re-establishing exclusive breastfeeding is the main thrust of the WHO updated treatment guidelines, however no studies have tested if successful re-establishing exclusive breastfeeding during inpatient treatment would result in maintained exclusive breastfeeding after discharge and result in nutritional recovery (catch-up growth) and survival