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Breast-feeding patterns in rural Bangladesh
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Breastfeeding in rural Bangladesh averaged 30 months, with 75% of mothers nursing at 2.5 years postpartum. Key reasons for stopping included infant death and pregnancy, with seasonal variations in suckling time observed.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Human Lactation Studies
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- Investigated long-term breastfeeding patterns in rural Bangladesh.
- Focused on a cohort of nearly 1500 women with live births between February and September 1974.
- Examined factors influencing breastfeeding duration and cessation.
Observation:
- Median breastfeeding duration was 30 months.
- Over 75% of mothers continued breastfeeding at 2.5 years postpartum.
- Infant death and subsequent pregnancies were primary reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding.
Findings:
- 18% cited insufficient milk, with nearly 60% of these women being pregnant.
- Over 50% of pregnant breastfeeding women continued nursing through the sixth month of gestation.
- Seasonal trends in suckling time were noted, decreasing during harvest season.
- Suckling time inversely correlated with socioeconomic status and infant nutritional status.
- No association found between suckling time and maternal nutritional status, maternal/infant morbidity, or child's sex.
Implications:
- Findings highlight the prolonged duration of breastfeeding in this population.
- Pregnancy is a significant factor leading to breastfeeding cessation.
- Socioeconomic and infant nutritional factors influence breastfeeding practices.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for public health interventions and infant nutrition programs.