Breastfeeding Patterns in the Developing World
(1999) This wallchart offers information on breastfeeding
patterns, child survival, and reproductive health information for more than 90 developing
countries. It also includes information that highlights the benefits of breastfeeding, the
Lactational Amenorrhea Method, and breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS.
Breastfeeding
|
Percent of Children
Who Are
|
|
Ever breastfed
|
Breastfeed
within one hour of birth
|
Exclusively
breastfed at ages < 6 months
(a = < 4 months)
|
Breastfed
with complementary foods
(5–9 months)
|
| SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICA |
| Benin |
97
|
24
|
10
|
97
|
| Botswana |
…
|
…
|
39a
|
…
|
| Burkina
Faso |
99
|
30
|
5
|
59
|
| Cameroon |
97
|
38
|
12
|
77
|
| Cape
Verde |
…
|
…
|
18a
|
…
|
| Central
African Rep. |
97
|
34
|
3
|
…
|
| Chad |
98
|
24
|
2
|
81
|
| Comoros |
96
|
25
|
3
|
92
|
| Congo,
Dem. Rep. of |
…
|
…
|
32a
|
40
|
| Côte
d'Ivoire |
100
|
44
|
2
|
72
|
| Eritrea |
98
|
48
|
59
|
66
|
| Ethiopia |
…
|
…
|
74a
|
…
|
| Gabon |
…
|
…
|
57a
|
…
|
| Ghana |
99
|
16
|
31
|
79
|
| Guinea |
…
|
…
|
52a
|
…
|
| Kenya |
98
|
58
|
12
|
94
|
| Lesotho |
…
|
…
|
54a
|
47
|
| Liberia |
…
|
…
|
…
|
17
|
| Madagascar |
97
|
34
|
48
|
93
|
| Malawi |
97
|
59
|
2
|
87
|
| Mali |
95
|
10
|
8
|
50
|
| Mauritania |
95
|
5
|
10
|
94
|
| Mauritius |
72
|
20
|
…
|
29
|
| Mozambique |
95
|
81
|
30
|
86
|
| Namibia |
95
|
55
|
14
|
65
|
| Niger |
97
|
28
|
1
|
67
|
| Nigeria |
97
|
33
|
1
|
70
|
| Rwanda |
97
|
20
|
90
|
68
|
| Senegal |
97
|
16
|
13
|
69
|
| Sierra
Leone |
…
|
…
|
…
|
94
|
| Sudan |
96
|
60
|
1
|
92
|
| Swaziland |
…
|
…
|
37a
|
51
|
| Tanzania |
97
|
59
|
29
|
93
|
| Togo |
97
|
19
|
10
|
…
|
| Uganda |
98
|
49
|
57
|
80
|
| Zambia |
98
|
58
|
19
|
95
|
| Zimbabwe |
99
|
40
|
11
|
96
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MIDDLE
EAST and NORTH AFRICA |
| Algeria |
93
|
22
|
5
|
50
|
| Bahrain |
97
|
40
|
…
|
69
|
| Egypt |
95
|
41
|
56
|
78
|
| Iran |
98
|
…
|
56
|
84
|
| Jordan |
95
|
32
|
11
|
68
|
| Lebanon |
88
|
15
|
12
|
38
|
| Libya |
91
|
22
|
6
|
42
|
| Morocco |
95
|
43
|
25
|
61
|
| Oman |
99
|
83
|
28
|
85
|
| Syria |
92
|
22
|
13
|
60
|
| Tunisia |
94
|
38
|
5
|
70
|
| Turkey |
95
|
21
|
10
|
27
|
| United
Arab Emirates |
93
|
25
|
…
|
52
|
| Yemen |
97
|
47
|
18
|
79
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ASIA |
| Armenia |
…
|
…
|
21a
|
34
|
| Azerbaijan |
…
|
…
|
53a
|
75
|
| Bangladesh |
97
|
13
|
45
|
69
|
| Cambodia |
…
|
…
|
60a
|
…
|
| China |
…
|
…
|
64a
|
…
|
| India |
95
|
10
|
43
|
31
|
| Indonesia |
96
|
8
|
42
|
81
|
| Kazakstan |
96
|
10
|
10
|
67
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
95
|
53
|
21
|
81
|
| Laos |
…
|
…
|
36a
|
…
|
| Mongolia |
…
|
…
|
93a
|
99
|
| Myanmar |
…
|
…
|
30a
|
40
|
| Nepal |
98
|
18
|
74
|
71
|
| Pakistan |
94
|
9
|
23
|
59
|
| Philippines |
88
|
42
|
37
|
60
|
| Sri
Lanka |
…
|
…
|
24a
|
60
|
| Thailand |
…
|
…
|
4a
|
71
|
| Turkmenistan |
…
|
…
|
54a
|
…
|
| Uzbekistan |
96
|
19
|
2
|
83
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LATIN
AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN |
| Belize |
90
|
46
|
17a
|
46
|
| Bolivia |
97
|
39
|
50
|
80
|
| Brazil |
93
|
32
|
29
|
40
|
| Chile |
…
|
…
|
77a
|
17
|
| Colombia |
95
|
49
|
9
|
66
|
| Costa
Rica |
…
|
…
|
35a
|
47
|
| Dominican
Republic |
93
|
63
|
19
|
47
|
| Ecuador |
95
|
38
|
29
|
53
|
| El
Salvador |
94
|
15
|
15
|
76
|
| Guatemala |
96
|
55
|
46
|
77
|
| Haiti |
96
|
36
|
2
|
90
|
| Honduras |
96
|
43
|
33
|
72
|
| Nicaragua |
92
|
80
|
22
|
65
|
| Panama |
…
|
…
|
32a
|
38
|
| Paraguay |
94
|
30
|
5
|
59
|
| Peru |
97
|
44
|
53
|
83
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes
Estimates are from the latest available sources between 1990 and 1998.
a Data refer to the percentage of children less than 4-months-old who are exclusively breastfed
… Data not available |
|
|
|
|
Median duration of any breastfeeding
(in months)
|
Median age at introduction of complementary foods
(in months)
|
Baby-friendly
health facilities
|
State of Implementation of Int'l Code of Marketing
of Breast Milk Substitutes
|
| SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICA |
| Benin |
23
|
…
|
23
|
22
|
P
|
| Botswana |
…
|
…
|
7
|
7
|
S
|
| Burkina
Faso |
25
|
…
|
6
|
8
|
F
|
| Cameroon |
18
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
F
|
| Cape
Verde |
…
|
…
|
1
|
2
|
…
|
| Central
African Rep. |
21
|
6
|
4
|
5
|
N
|
| Chad |
21
|
…
|
2
|
7
|
N
|
| Comoros |
20
|
3
|
19
|
100
|
…
|
| Congo,
Dem. Rep. of |
…
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
P
|
| Côte
d'Ivoire |
20
|
6
|
85
|
99
|
F
|
| Eritrea |
22
|
…
|
46
|
100
|
S
|
| Ethiopia |
…
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
P
|
| Gabon |
…
|
…
|
2
|
…
|
S
|
| Ghana |
…
|
…
|
19
|
1
|
S
|
| Guinea |
…
|
…
|
3
|
9
|
P
|
| Kenya |
21
|
6
|
232
|
66
|
S
|
| Lesotho |
…
|
…
|
7
|
39
|
S
|
| Liberia |
…
|
…
|
2
|
4
|
…
|
| Madagascar |
21
|
7
|
50
|
7
|
F
|
| Malawi |
21
|
2
|
7
|
15
|
S
|
| Mali |
22
|
…
|
12
|
20
|
S
|
| Mauritania |
21
|
…
|
1
|
<1
|
S
|
| Mauritius |
…
|
…
|
6
|
67
|
S
|
| Mozambique |
22
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
P
|
| Namibia |
17
|
6
|
35
|
100
|
S
|
| Niger |
21
|
5
|
20
|
20
|
S
|
| Nigeria |
20
|
5
|
1,036
|
16
|
P
|
| Rwanda |
28
|
7
|
2
|
...
|
S
|
| Senegal |
21
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
P
|
| Sierra
Leone |
…
|
…
|
3
|
<1
|
S
|
| Sudan |
19
|
…
|
25
|
12
|
S
|
| Swaziland |
…
|
…
|
5
|
83
|
…
|
| Tanzania |
22
|
…
|
45
|
24
|
F
|
| Togo |
24
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
S
|
| Uganda |
20
|
7
|
11
|
3
|
S
|
| Zambia |
20
|
5
|
47
|
24
|
S
|
| Zimbabwe |
19
|
6
|
38
|
18
|
F
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MIDDLE
EAST and NORTH AFRICA |
| Algeria |
10
|
…
|
2
|
<1
|
P
|
| Bahrain |
15b
|
…
|
6
|
21
|
F
|
| Egypt |
19
|
6
|
95
|
2
|
S
|
| Iran |
22
|
…
|
418
|
89
|
F
|
| Jordan |
12
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
S
|
| Lebanon |
7
|
…
|
18
|
13
|
F
|
| Libya |
8
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
S
|
| Morocco |
15
|
…
|
17
|
17
|
S
|
| Oman |
19b
|
…
|
51
|
100
|
S
|
| Syria |
13
|
…
|
11
|
8
|
S
|
| Tunisia |
14
|
…
|
141
|
93
|
P
|
| Turkey |
12
|
3
|
83
|
…
|
P
|
| United
Arab Emirates |
12b
|
…
|
4
|
…
|
P
|
| Yemen |
18
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
P
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ASIA |
|
|
|
|
|
| Armenia |
…
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
S
|
| Azerbaijan |
…
|
…
|
5
|
25
|
…
|
| Bangladesh |
33
|
8
|
170
|
25
|
P
|
| Cambodia |
…
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
S
|
| China |
…
|
…
|
6,312
|
47
|
P
|
| India |
24
|
…
|
1,250
|
25
|
F
|
| Indonesia |
24
|
7
|
91
|
5
|
P
|
| Kazakstan |
5
|
5
|
4
|
<1
|
N
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
17
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
…
|
| Laos |
…
|
…
|
6
|
4
|
P
|
| Mongolia |
…
|
…
|
93
|
26
|
P
|
| Myanmar |
…
|
…
|
210
|
30
|
S
|
| Nepal |
31
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
F
|
| Pakistan |
20
|
…
|
35
|
4
|
S
|
| Philippines |
13
|
3
|
1,047
|
58
|
F
|
| Sri
Lanka |
…
|
…
|
97
|
21
|
F
|
| Thailand |
…
|
…
|
780
|
87
|
S
|
| Turkmenistan |
…
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
…
|
| Uzbekistan |
17
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
…
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LATIN
AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN |
| Belize |
12b
|
…
|
0
|
0
|
…
|
| Bolivia |
18
|
5
|
20
|
20
|
S
|
| Brazil |
7
|
4
|
116
|
3
|
F
|
| Chile |
…
|
…
|
21
|
13
|
P
|
| Colombia |
11
|
2
|
53
|
10
|
P
|
| Costa
Rica |
5b
|
…
|
5
|
20
|
F
|
| Dominican
Republic |
8
|
2
|
8
|
3
|
F
|
| Ecuador |
16b
|
…
|
95
|
67
|
S
|
| El
Salvador |
18b
|
…
|
23
|
88
|
S
|
| Guatemala |
20
|
7
|
17
|
30
|
F
|
| Haiti |
18
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
S
|
| Honduras |
17b
|
…
|
3
|
13
|
S
|
| Nicaragua |
12
|
4
|
9
|
39
|
S
|
| Panama |
…
|
…
|
3
|
9
|
F
|
| Paraguay |
11b
|
…
|
18
|
67
|
S
|
| Peru |
20
|
6
|
91
|
70
|
F
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes
Estimates are from the latest available sources between 1990 and 1998.
b Data refer to mean (arithmetic average) rather than median
… Data not available |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exclusively breastfed: Infants who are receiving nothing other than breast milk, with the exception of medicines and vitamins.
Breastfed with complementary foods: Infants who are receiving breast milk and solid foods.
Median duration of any breastfeeding: Figures refer to the age of children in months at which half have stopped being breastfed.
Median age at introduction of complementary foods: Figures refer to the age of children (who were still breastfed at the time of the survey) in months at which half had begun taking solid food.
Baby-friendly health facility: A health facility is designated as "baby friendly"
if it adheres to the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" promoted by the
World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF as part of their Baby-Friendly Health
Initiative. For information on the Baby-Friendly Health Initiative, see the WHO (www.who.org) or UNICEF (www.unicef.org)
Web sites.
State of the implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes: In 1981, the World Health Assembly adopted the International
Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes as part of the WHO Constitution. It calls on
countries to regulate the marketing of breast milk substitutes to prevent interference
with breastfeeding. More than 160 countries and territories agreed to take steps to
implement the Code. The Code is in the form of recommendations and its enforcement is a
matter for each government to decide, according to its social and legislative framework.
Letters shown in this column refer to the status of implementation by each country, as
reported by UNICEF in the Progress of Nations 1997 and personal communication, UNICEF,
June 30, 1999:
F Full Compliance — legislation or other
legally enforceable measures have been enacted that implement the Code in its entirety.
P Partial Compliance — legislation or
other legally enforceable measures have been enacted encompassing some of the Code's
provisions.
S Some Action — legislation or other
legally enforceable measures implementing the Code have not been enacted, but are in the
process, or governments have taken other measures.
N No Action — no steps to implement the
Code have been taken.
Child Survival
|
|
Child Survival
|
Population
|
|
Infant mortality rate
|
Deaths of children under 5 years per 1,000 births
|
Estimated number of births, 1999
(in 1,000)
|
| SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICA |
| Benin |
94
|
167
|
273
|
| Botswana |
56
|
110
|
48
|
| Burkina
Faso |
105
|
219
|
541
|
| Cameroon |
77
|
151
|
609
|
| Cape
Verde |
52
|
60
|
15
|
| Central
African Rep. |
97
|
157
|
132
|
| Chad |
110
|
194
|
386
|
| Comoros |
77
|
104
|
21
|
| Congo,
Dem. Rep. of |
106
|
161
|
2,411
|
| Côte
d'Ivoire |
112
|
181
|
674
|
| Eritrea |
66
|
139
|
171
|
| Ethiopia |
128
|
185
|
2,715
|
| Gabon |
87
|
152
|
45
|
| Ghana |
56
|
107
|
764
|
| Guinea |
134
|
215
|
317
|
| Kenya |
74
|
112
|
1,004
|
| Lesotho |
80
|
133
|
70
|
| Liberia |
106
|
147
|
124
|
| Madagascar |
96
|
159
|
628
|
| Malawi |
134
|
234
|
416
|
| Mali |
123
|
238
|
515
|
| Mauritania |
68
|
107
|
105
|
| Mauritius |
20
|
22
|
20
|
| Mozambique |
135
|
201
|
778
|
| Namibia |
68
|
120
|
60
|
| Niger |
123
|
274
|
535
|
| Nigeria |
73
|
106
|
4,849
|
| Rwanda |
85
|
150
|
319
|
| Senegal |
68
|
139
|
378
|
| Sierra
Leone |
136
|
215
|
247
|
| Sudan |
70
|
113
|
956
|
| Swaziland |
72
|
100
|
41
|
| Tanzania |
88
|
137
|
1,298
|
| Togo |
80
|
146
|
188
|
| Uganda |
81
|
147
|
1,097
|
| Zambia |
109
|
197
|
408
|
| Zimbabwe |
53
|
77
|
357
|
|
|
|
|
| MIDDLE
EAST and NORTH AFRICA |
| Algeria |
44
|
49
|
923
|
| Bahrain |
8
|
10
|
14
|
| Egypt |
52
|
65
|
1,740
|
| Iran |
26
|
33
|
1,100
|
| Jordan |
29
|
34
|
142
|
| Lebanon |
28
|
32
|
92
|
| Libya |
24
|
30
|
141
|
| Morocco |
37
|
46
|
655
|
| Oman |
14
|
20
|
107
|
| Syria |
35
|
42
|
532
|
| Tunisia |
35
|
44
|
212
|
| Turkey |
43
|
61
|
1,423
|
| United
Arab Emirates |
11
|
13
|
67
|
| Yemen |
75
|
105
|
655
|
|
|
|
|
| ASIA |
| Armenia |
15
|
18
|
44
|
| Azerbaijan |
20
|
23
|
135
|
| Bangladesh |
82
|
116
|
3,332
|
| Cambodia |
103
|
134
|
450
|
| China |
31
|
40
|
20,103
|
| India |
79
|
109
|
27,300
|
| Indonesia |
46
|
58
|
5,041
|
| Kazakstan |
40
|
46
|
227
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
61
|
72
|
105
|
| Laos |
104
|
149
|
207
|
| Mongolia |
34
|
45
|
50
|
| Myanmar |
83
|
109
|
1,423
|
| Nepal |
79
|
118
|
864
|
| Pakistan |
91
|
128
|
5,713
|
| Philippines |
35
|
49
|
2,165
|
| Sri
Lanka |
17
|
21
|
353
|
| Thailand |
25
|
28
|
1,113
|
| Turkmenistan |
38
|
51
|
103
|
| Uzbekistan |
49
|
59
|
623
|
|
|
|
|
| LATIN
AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN |
| Belize |
42
|
53
|
7
|
| Bolivia |
67
|
92
|
246
|
| Brazil |
39
|
49
|
3,578
|
| Chile |
12
|
13
|
299
|
| Colombia |
28
|
36
|
1,003
|
| Costa
Rica |
14
|
16
|
81
|
| Dominican
Republic |
47
|
57
|
66
|
| Ecuador |
40
|
51
|
335
|
| El
Salvador |
35
|
43
|
167
|
| Guatemala |
51
|
68
|
453
|
| Haiti |
74
|
131
|
264
|
| Honduras |
36
|
48
|
197
|
| Nicaragua |
40
|
50
|
188
|
| Panama |
22
|
25
|
64
|
| Paraguay |
27
|
33
|
169
|
| Peru |
43
|
59
|
740
|
|
|
|
|
Notes
Estimates are from the latest available sources between 1990 and 1998.
|
Reproductive Health
|
|
Reproductive Health
|
|
Total fertility rate
|
Median duration of postpartum amenorrhea (in months)
|
Percent of births attended by trained health personnel
|
Percent
of married women using contraceptives
|
Adults (15-49) with HIV/AIDS
(per 10,000)
|
| SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICA |
| Benin |
6.3
|
13
|
60
|
16
|
3
|
206
|
| Botswana |
4.1
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
2,510
|
| Burkina
Faso |
6.7
|
15
|
42
|
8
|
4
|
717
|
| Cameroon |
5.2
|
11
|
64
|
19
|
7
|
489
|
| Cape
Verde |
5.3
|
…
|
54
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
| Central
African Rep. |
5.1
|
14
|
46
|
15
|
3
|
1,077
|
| Chad |
6.6
|
16
|
15
|
4
|
1
|
272
|
| Comoros |
5.1
|
7
|
52
|
21
|
11
|
14*
|
| Congo,
Dem. Rep. of |
6.6
|
…
|
…
|
8
|
3
|
435
|
| Côte
d'Ivoire |
6.1
|
12
|
45
|
11
|
4
|
1,006
|
| Eritrea |
6.1
|
14
|
21
|
8
|
4
|
317*
|
| Ethiopia |
7.0
|
…
|
…
|
4
|
3
|
931
|
| Gabon |
5.4
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
425
|
| Ghana |
5.4
|
…
|
41
|
22
|
13
|
238
|
| Guinea |
5.7
|
…
|
31
|
2
|
1
|
209
|
| Kenya |
4.7
|
9
|
45
|
39
|
31
|
1,164
|
| Lesotho |
4.3
|
…
|
50
|
23
|
19
|
835
|
| Liberia |
6.2
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
365
|
| Madagascar |
6.0
|
11
|
47
|
19
|
10
|
12
|
| Malawi |
5.9
|
12
|
55
|
22
|
14
|
1,492
|
| Mali |
6.7
|
14
|
25
|
7
|
5
|
167
|
| Mauritania |
4.9
|
…
|
47
|
4
|
1
|
52
|
| Mauritius |
2.0
|
2b
|
97
|
75
|
60
|
8*
|
| Mozambique |
5.6
|
14
|
44
|
6
|
5
|
1,417
|
| Namibia |
5.1
|
8
|
67
|
29
|
26
|
1,994
|
| Niger |
7.5
|
16
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
145
|
| Nigeria |
6.2
|
15
|
31
|
15
|
7
|
412
|
| Rwanda |
6.0
|
17
|
26
|
21
|
13
|
1,275
|
| Senegal |
5.7
|
13
|
47
|
13
|
8
|
177
|
| Sierra
Leone |
6.3
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
…
|
317
|
| Sudan |
4.6
|
…
|
31
|
10
|
7
|
99*
|
| Swaziland |
5.2
|
…
|
56
|
21
|
19
|
1,850
|
| Tanzania |
5.7
|
12
|
38
|
18
|
13
|
942
|
| Togo |
5.4
|
14
|
50
|
24
|
7
|
852
|
| Uganda |
6.9
|
13
|
38
|
15
|
8
|
951
|
| Zambia |
6.1
|
12
|
47
|
26
|
14
|
1,907
|
| Zimbabwe |
4.0
|
13
|
69
|
48
|
42
|
2,584
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MIDDLE
EAST and NORTH AFRICA |
| Algeria |
4.1
|
…
|
77
|
51
|
43
|
7*
|
| Bahrain |
2.8
|
…
|
98
|
62
|
31
|
15*
|
| Egypt |
3.3
|
5
|
56
|
55
|
52
|
3
|
| Iran |
2.6
|
…
|
86
|
73
|
56
|
<1
|
| Jordan |
4.4
|
4
|
97
|
53
|
38
|
2*
|
| Lebanon |
2.5
|
…
|
85
|
61
|
37
|
9*
|
| Libya |
4.1
|
…
|
81
|
45
|
26
|
5*
|
| Morocco |
3.1
|
3
|
52
|
58
|
49
|
3*
|
| Oman |
7.1
|
…
|
93
|
24
|
18
|
11*
|
| Syria |
4.2
|
…
|
54
|
40
|
28
|
1*
|
| Tunisia |
2.8
|
…
|
79
|
60
|
49
|
4*
|
| Turkey |
2.6
|
4
|
76
|
64
|
38
|
1
|
| United
Arab Emirates |
4.9
|
…
|
99
|
28
|
24
|
18*
|
| Yemen |
6.7
|
6
|
43
|
21
|
10
|
1*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ASIA |
| Armenia |
1.5
|
…
|
96
|
…
|
…
|
1
|
| Azerbaijan |
2.1
|
…
|
99
|
…
|
…
|
<1
|
| Bangladesh |
3.3
|
8
|
8
|
49
|
42
|
3
|
| Cambodia |
5.2
|
…
|
31
|
…
|
…
|
240
|
| China |
1.8
|
…
|
89
|
83
|
81
|
6
|
| India |
3.4
|
9
|
34
|
41
|
36
|
82
|
| Indonesia |
2.8
|
6
|
54
|
57
|
55
|
5
|
| Kazakstan |
1.8
|
5
|
100
|
59
|
46
|
3
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
2.8
|
7
|
98
|
60
|
49
|
<1
|
| Laos |
5.6
|
…
|
…
|
25
|
21
|
4
|
| Mongolia |
2.7
|
…
|
100
|
57
|
41
|
1
|
| Myanmar |
3.8
|
…
|
56
|
17
|
14
|
179
|
| Nepal |
4.6
|
10
|
9
|
29
|
26
|
24
|
| Pakistan |
5.6
|
6
|
18
|
18
|
13
|
9
|
| Philippines |
3.7
|
5
|
64
|
46
|
28
|
6
|
| Sri
Lanka |
2.2
|
…
|
94
|
66
|
44
|
7
|
| Thailand |
2.0
|
…
|
…
|
72
|
70
|
223
|
| Turkmenistan |
2.6
|
…
|
96
|
20
|
…
|
1
|
| Uzbekistan |
3.2
|
5
|
98
|
68
|
65
|
<1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LATIN
AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN |
| Belize |
3.9
|
…
|
79
|
47
|
42
|
189
|
| Bolivia |
4.2
|
10
|
47
|
48
|
25
|
7
|
| Brazil |
2.3
|
3
|
92
|
77
|
70
|
95
|
| Chile |
2.4
|
…
|
100
|
…
|
…
|
20
|
| Colombia |
3.0
|
4
|
85
|
72
|
59
|
36
|
| Costa
Rica |
2.7
|
…
|
98
|
75
|
65
|
55
|
| Dominican
Republic |
3.2
|
4
|
96
|
64
|
59
|
189
|
| Ecuador |
3.3
|
8b
|
64
|
57
|
46
|
28
|
| El
Salvador |
3.6
|
…
|
87
|
60
|
54
|
58
|
| Guatemala |
5.1
|
11
|
35
|
31
|
27
|
52
|
| Haiti |
4.8
|
11
|
21
|
18
|
14
|
517
|
| Honduras |
4.4
|
9b
|
61
|
50
|
41
|
146
|
| Nicaragua |
3.9
|
5
|
61
|
60
|
57
|
19
|
| Panama |
2.7
|
…
|
86
|
…
|
…
|
61
|
| Paraguay |
4.4
|
…
|
61
|
51
|
41
|
13
|
| Peru |
3.5
|
8
|
56
|
64
|
41
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes
Estimates are from the latest available sources between 1990 and 1998.
Estimates of HIV/AIDS prevalence are as of December 1997, except those estimates
with an asterisk, which are for 1994 (Weekly Epidemiological Report, 1995,
70: 353-360)
… Data not available |
Total fertility rate: The average number of children a woman would have assuming
that current age-specific birth rates remain constant throughout her childbearing years (usually considered to be ages 15 to 49).
Postpartum amenorrhea: The period of time following birth during which a woman's
menstrual cycle has not yet resumed.
Contraceptive use: The percentage of currently married or in-union women of
reproductive age who are currently using contraception. "Any method" includes
traditional and modern methods. The most commonly used traditional method is withdrawal.
Modern methods include clinic and supply methods such as oral contraceptives, IUDs,
condoms, and sterilization.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding
Exclusive breastfeeding of infants is recommended for the first
six months of their lives and breastfeeding with complementary foods thereafter.
Breastfeeding has many physical and psychological benefits for children and mothers as
well as economic benefits for families and societies.
Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Infant
- Provides a nutritionally complete food for the young infant
- Strengthens the infant's immune system, preventing many infections
- Reduces the infant's exposure to infections
- Safely rehydrates and provides essential nutrients to a sick child, especially to those suffering from diarrheal diseases
- Contributes to child spacing (see box on the Lactational Amenorrhea Method-LAM), which increases the probability of child survival
Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Mother
- Reduces a woman's risk of excessive blood loss after birth
- Provides a natural method of delaying pregnancies (see box on LAM)
- Reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancers and osteoporosis (bone disease)
Benefits to the Household and the Community
- Conserves funds that otherwise would be spent on breast milk substitutes, supplies, and fuel to prepare them
- Saves medical costs to families and governments by preventing illnesses and by providing immediate postpartum contraception
Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM)
The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is a method of contraception that depends on
the natural effect of breastfeeding to delay another pregnancy after a birth.
("Lactational" means related to breastfeeding. "Amenorrhea" means not
having menstrual bleeding.) A woman using LAM correctly is more than 98 percent protected
against pregnancy, which is higher than the protection offered by the diaphragm or male
condoms.
Three conditions define the Lactational Amenorrhea Method:
- the mother's menstrual periods have not resumed, AND
- her baby is fully* or nearly fully breastfed, AND
- her baby is no more than 6 months old.
The probability of pregnancy increases if any of the three criteria is no longer met,
particularly if menstrual bleeding begins. At this point, a woman wishing to prolong child
spacing should immediately begin another family planning method, choosing one that does not interfere with
breastfeeding.
* The baby receives at least 90 percent of his/her
feedings from breast milk.
Breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS
HIV-positive mothers may transmit the virus to their infants during pregnancy or
delivery.
Some may also transmit the virus via breast milk. However, the majority of infants of
HIV-positive women do not become infected from their mothers, whether or not they are
breastfed.
- If a mother knows she is infected, if breast milk substitutes are affordable and can be
used safely, and if adequate health care is available and affordable, then the
infant's chances of survival are greater if the substitutes are used.
- If these conditions are not met, for example, where hygiene and sanitation are poor and
access to adequate health care is limited, breastfeeding may be the safest feeding option
even when the mother is HIV-positive.
- The best way of protecting children from HIV is to help women avoid HIV infection. Most
new infections (85 percent) are passed through unprotected sexual contacts and the risk of
infection can be substantially decreased by practicing safer sex (e.g., by using condoms).
Main Sources
Demographic and Health Surveys
(DHS), country survey reports; MEASURE DHS+, special tabulations (May 1999);
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, country survey reports; League of Arab States,
special tabulations of the Pan Arab Project for Child Development (PAPCHILD) surveys (May
1999); Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education, special tabulation (May 1999);
UNICEF, State of the World's Children 1999; UNICEF, Progress of Nations
1998; Population Reference Bureau, 2000 World Population
Data Sheet; www.unaids.org, "Report on
the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic-June 1998" (May 1999); LINKAGES Project, Frequently
Asked Questions on: BREASTFEEDING AND HIV/AIDS, October 1998.
Selected studies of mother-to-child HIV transmission: P.
Msellati, et al., "Zidovudine and Reduction of Vertical Transmission of HIV in
Africa," American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 89(6), June 1, 1999.
E.A. Preble and E.G. Piwoz, HIV and Infant Feeding: A
Chronology of Research and Policy Advances for Programs, LINKAGES Project, September
1998.
V. Leroy, et al., "International multicentre pooled
analysis of late postnatal mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 infection," The
Lancet, Vol. 352, August 22, 1998.
D.T. Dunn, et al., "Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Type-1 through Breastfeeding," The Lancet, Vol. 340, September 5, 1992.
|
