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The '''immunological protection of breastfeeding''' provided to the infant is very strong.

In infancy, simple sugars in breast milk, like antibacterial oligosaccharides, are acquired from the mother's milk and excreted in [[urine]]. University studies have shown that these substances cling to the [[mucosa| mucosal]] lining of the [[preputial mucosa]] and protect against [[urinary tract infection]],<ref name="hanson1988">Hanson LA, Karlsson B, Jalil F, et al. Antiviral and antibacterial factors in human milk. In: Hanson LA, ed. ''Biology of Human Milk''. New York Raven Press; 1988. pp. 141-57</ref> as well as [[infection| infections]] in other parts of the body.<ref>Coppa GV, Gabrielli O, Giorgi P, Catassi C, Montanari MP, Veraldo PE, Nichols BL. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/coppa/ Preliminary study of breast feeding and bacterial adhesion to uroepithelial cells]. ''Lancet'' 1990 Mar 10;335(8689):569-71.</ref> Babies excrete in their [[urine]] about 300-500 milligrams of oligosaccharides each day. These compounds prevent virulent strains of ''Escherichia coli'' from adhering to the [[mucosa]]l lining of the entire urinary tract, including the [[foreskin]] and [[glans]]. For these reasons breast-milk is highly efficacious at preventing UTI.<ref>Gothefors L, Olling S, Winberg J. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/gothefors1/ Breastfeeding and biological properties of faecal ''E. coli'' strains]. ''Acta Paediatr Scand'' 1975 Nov;54(6):807-12.</ref> Rigorous studies have repeatedly demonstrated that breast feeding protects against urinary tract infections.<ref name="marild1990">Mårild S. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/marild/ Breastfeeding and Urinary Tract Infections]. ''Lancet'' 1990;336:942.</ref> <ref name="pisacane1990">Pisacane A, et al. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/pisacane/ Breastfeeding and urinary tract infection]. ''The Lancet'', July 7, 1990, p50 </ref> <ref name="pisacane1992">Pisacane A, Graziano L, Mazzarella G, et al. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/pisacane1992/ Breast-feeding and urinary tract infection]. ''J Pediatr'' 1992;120:87-89.</ref>

Researchers have shown that premature foreskin retraction can expose the [[penis]] to hospital strains of ''Escherichia coli'' and can result in [[UTI]].<ref>Winberg J, et al. [https://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/winberg-bollgren/ The prepuce: A mistake of nature?] ''Lancet'' 1989, pp.598-99.</ref> Hence the protective function of the [[foreskin]] is in the child's best interest, especially during chemically treated diaper wearing years where feces mixed with [[urine]] can not only contaminate the permanently exposed [[urinary meatus]] but also the [[amputation]] wound from the circumcision surgery itself.

It is important to note that women have a higher risk of [[UTI]]. This is because the shorter [[urethra]] offers less protection via the immunological function of the [[urethra]]'s [[mucosa]]l lining. By the same observation we see that the tubular tip of the [[foreskin]] and its [[mucosa]]l lining act as an extension of the [[urethra]], hence providing more of that same protection via [[mucosa]] immunology and the adherence of antibacterial substances in breast milk. Understandably, removal of the [[foreskin]] destroys all this functionality.

{{SEEALSO}}
* [[Breastfeeding]]
* [[Immunological and protective function of the foreskin]]

{{REF}}

[[Category:Education]]
[[Category:Breastfeeding]]
[[Category:Immunology]]
[[Category:Parental information]]

[[en:Immunological protection of breastfeeding]]

Immunologischer Schutz des Stillens - Versionsgeschichte

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