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How To... - Interpret Data - Case Studies -
Breastfeeding
What:
Is low breastfeeding prevalence a health problem?
Healthy People 2010 established target breastfeeding prevalence
for the general population. Based on the established targets, 75 percent
of all mothers should be breastfeeding their babies during the early
postpartum period, and 50 and 25 percent of mothers should be
breastfeeding at 6 months and 12 months, respectively.
According to a national U.S. survey, 70.1% of mothers breastfeed their
infants during the early postpartum period and only 33.2% of all mothers
breastfed at 6 months and 19.7% at 12 months. (Mother’s Survey, Ross Laboratories, 2002) These
breastfeeding prevalences fall below the Healthy People 2010
targets and are considered to be a public health problem.
The PedNSS Table 2C, Summary of Health Indicators shows the percentage of
infants ever breastfed and breastfed at 6 and 12 months. To determine how
much of a problem low breastfeeding prevalence is in a state WIC Program,
we will compare their breastfeeding prevalence to the Healthy People
2010 breastfeeding targets.
Sample: PedNSS Table 2C, Summary of Health Indicators
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The prevalence of infants ever breastfed was 48.4% in
2001 for the state WIC program compared to 47.5% for the national
PedNSS which is considerably below the 2010 target prevalence of 75
percent. |
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Breastfed at least 6 and 12 months are measurements of
breastfeeding duration. The prevalence of infants breastfed at 6 months
is 18.5% and at 12 months is 14.2% in the state compared to the
national PedNSS prevalence of 20.6% and 12.3% respectively. These
prevalences are also considerably below the Healthy People 2010
target prevalence of 50 percent and 25 percent for 6 and 12 months. |
Sample: PedNSS Table 3C, Summary of Breastfeeding Indicators
The PedNSS Table 3C, Summary of Breastfeeding
Indicators, shows the percentage of infants who are being breastfed at a
given age defined in weeks and months. The percentage of infants reported
at each point in time represents the breastfeeding duration prevalence at
that time.
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The prevalence of infants breastfed 1+ weeks for the
state WIC program is 50% compared to the prevalence of 34.5 % for
breastfed 6+ weeks when many mothers return to work or school. |
What is the health problem?
The prevalence of infants ever breastfed is 48.4 percent compared to
the Healthy People 2010 target prevalence of 75 percent and the U.S.
prevalence of 70.1%. The prevalence of infants breastfed at 6 months is
18.5% and at 12 months is 14.2% compared to their respective targets of 50
percent and 25 percent. A large decrease in the prevalence of
breastfeeding occurs between 1 and 6 weeks of age indicating that women
are most likely to stop breastfeeding during the first 6 weeks.
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