IN response to your report “Toxins in mother’s milk” (New Sunday Times, May 11), we would like to emphasise that the issue must be understood in the light of the fact that we all live in a polluted world.

No matter where we live, women, men and children cannot avoid being exposed to a wide variety of chemicals and passing on this chemical body burden to the next generation, our children.

The World Alliance for Breast Feeding Action (Waba) in collaboration with the International Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Elimination Network, have been working together to seek a better understanding on this issue from the environmental health, justice and breast-feeding perspectives to help educate the public, health workers and policymakers.

While we acknowledge that there is some degree of contaminants in breast milk, it is still advisable for mothers to breast-feed their babies in most situations globally.

The existence of chemical residues in breast milk is not a reason for limiting breast- feeding.

In fact, it is a reason to breast-feed because breast milk contains substances that help the child develop a stronger immune system and gives protection against environmental pollutants and pathogens.

Breast-feeding can help to limit the danger cause by foetal exposure.

One of the most authoritative reference texts on this, Chemical Compounds in Human Milk, by A. Jensen and S. Slorach (1991:288) concludes: “Reports in the mass media about the presence of toxic chemicals in breast milk often alarm mothers, who wonder whether they should get their milk analysed and, if the levels are relatively high, stop breast-feeding.

“Virtually all national and international expert committees have hitherto concluded — on the basics of available information — that the benefits of breast-feeding outweigh the possible risks from contaminants present in human milk at normal levels.”

More recently, an April 30 Information Note of the WHO/FAO International Food Safety Authorities Network (Infosan) on food safety and nutrition during pregnancy and infant feeding states:

“… It is critical to control, to the greatest extent possible, food safety hazards during pregnancy and lactation as well as during initial complementary feeding of infants. Food controls during these periods should be integrated with nutritional guidance. However, the nutritional impact should also be considered when providing such service.

“Although exposure to lead, mercury and POPs can occur via breast milk, the benefits almost always outweigh the potential risks and WHO recommends exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months.”

If we were to test infants born today, anywhere in the world, we would find in them a body burden of industrial toxins including dioxins, mercury, pesticides, flame retardants and other dangerous substances.

Children are at higher risk than adults because they are undergoing rapid development and consuming more food in relation to their body weight compared to adults. Exposure before and during pregnancy poses a greater risk to the foetus than breast- feeding does.

Replacing breast milk with infant formula is not the answer. Toxins are found all through the food chain.

Our water is contaminated and artificially produced infant milks have been contaminated by bacteria, radioactivity, chemicals and foreign bodies.

These artificial milks have been found to have adverse effects on infant health and in numerous cases, have resulted in deaths. The WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) estimate that 1,500,000 infant lives could be saved if they were breast-fed optimally.

The WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes requires that parents be informed about the health hazards of unnecessary or improper use of infant formula.

There is an extensive body of research documenting the importance of exclusive breast-feeding for six months and in turn the associated risks of formula feeding.

The WHO/Unicef Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (2002) recommends that children breast- feed exclusively for six months of life, and then continue breast-feeding with adequate complementary food for up to two years or beyond.

In Malaysia, the Health Ministry recommends the same.

SUSAN SIEWCo-director,World Alliance for Breast-Feeding Action, Penang

Source: NST – May 23, 2008