Breastfeeding Trends Following the US Infant Formula Shortage.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for mothers and infants, but optimal US breastfeeding rates are not consistently achieved.
• Persistent disparities in breastfeeding initiation exist across various sociodemographic groups.
• The 2022 infant formula crisis, marked by shortages and safety concerns, may have influenced infant feeding choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of the 2022 infant formula crisis on breastfeeding initiation trends.
• To compare the effects of the crisis on breastfeeding initiation across different subpopulations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 2016-2022 national birth certificate data from 47 states and the District of Columbia.
• Employed Bayesian structural time-series analysis to assess changes in breastfeeding initiation.
• Applied a linear probability model to examine heterogeneous effects across subpopulations.

Main Results:

• Breastfeeding initiation rates increased by an average of 1.96 percentage points during the 2022 crisis.
• The rise in breastfeeding initiation was most significant among mothers with lower education, WIC recipients, and Black mothers.
• Preexisting disparities in breastfeeding initiation decreased in 2022, with the largest gains seen in highly vulnerable groups.

Conclusions:

• The infant formula crisis demonstrated the potential for interventions to reduce breastfeeding disparities.
• Targeted breastfeeding promotion initiatives can mitigate maternal and child health risks associated with disparities.