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Optimal breastfeeding practices and infant and child mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Mari Jeeva Sankar1, Bireshwar Sinha2, Ranadip Chowdhury2

  • 1Newborn Health Knowledge Centre, ICMR Center for Advanced Research in Newborn Health, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|August 8, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Optimal breastfeeding significantly reduces infant and child mortality. Exclusive breastfeeding protects infants under six months, while any breastfeeding benefits children up to 23 months, lowering risks of all-cause and infection-related deaths.

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Infant and child mortality remain significant global health challenges.
  • Optimal infant feeding practices are crucial for survival and development.
  • Evidence synthesis is needed to quantify the mortality impact of breastfeeding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review evidence on the effects of breastfeeding on all-cause and infection-related mortality.
  • To assess mortality risks associated with non-breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, and predominant breastfeeding compared to exclusive breastfeeding in infants (0-5 months).
  • To evaluate mortality risks in children (6-23 months) who were not breastfed compared to those who were breastfed.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
  • Searches conducted in PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and CABI databases.
  • Comparison of mortality rates based on breastfeeding status (exclusive, predominant, partial, none) across different age groups.

Main Results:

  • Infants 0-5 months not exclusively breastfed faced higher all-cause mortality: predominant (RR 1.5), partial (RR 4.8), and non-breastfed (RR 14.4).
  • Children 6-23 months not breastfed had 1.8- to 2.0-fold higher mortality risk.
  • Higher infection-related mortality observed in non-exclusively breastfed infants (0-5 months) and non-breastfed children (6-23 months).

Conclusions:

  • Optimal breastfeeding practices are critically important for reducing infant and child mortality.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding is particularly vital in the first six months of life.
  • Promoting breastfeeding is a key public health intervention for child survival.
Abstract

Keywords:
breastfeedingchildinfantmeta-analysismortalitynewborn

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