Does Maternal Breastfeeding Have Positive Long-Term Effects on Neurocognitive Development?

Abstract

This study comprised a systematic review of literature based on the, long-term benefits of maternal breastfeeding on neurocognitive development in children. The immediate known benefits of breastfeeding are well documented throughout numerous research studies such as nutritional benefits and immunological growth. However, there are limited studies on the long-term effects of maternal breast feeding. The purpose of this research is to review literature on the long-term effects of maternal breastfeeding on neurocognitive development in children, specifically focusing on intelligence and language development. A total of 10 articles met the inclusion criteria and were used for this literature review. Among the different studies, the ages that were assessed are from the first year of life throughout 15 years of life. A positive impact is suggested after reviewing the research, but it only has a minor impact when being compared to children who were either formula fed or fed for shorter durations. The research reviewed shows positive effects on intelligence and language among children as old as 15 but due to the lack of existing literature, long-term benefits of neurocognitive development into adulthood could not be assessed.