Infant mortality due to improper breastfeeding: report:

[Health India] New Delhi, Sep 18 : The high rate of infant mortality in
India is directly related to improper breastfeeding, a new survey has
revealed.

Only two out of every five babies are exclusively fed during the first six
months, says the survey by the NGO Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India
(BPNI) over 49 districts in 25 states and three union territories.

And just one out of every five babies get breastfed for two years
continuously, the survey said.

Statistics say that India suffers from an infant mortality rate of 65
children per 1,000. And among other reasons, malnutrition is supposed to
account for 55 percent of this.

According to experts, exclusive breastfeeding alone for the first six
months of a baby can reduce child mortality chances by 13 percent.

"Breast milk is a child's first immunisation. If that is not done properly,
how can you expect the child to survive and develop adequate immunisation
against diseases," said Arun Gupta, national coordinator of BPNI.

"In India, due to illiteracy and lack of awareness, mothers tend to depend
on processed food items thinking it would supplement the baby's needs. This
is not a healthy practice, since it is only the breast milk that contains
all the nutrients, antibodies, hormones and antioxidants that an infant
needs."

According to doctors, it is recommended that breastfeeding should be
initiated within one hour of birth, and nothing should be given to the
infant prior to that.

In addition, the babies should be exclusively breastfed, with no other food
supplement or drink to be given for the first six months. It is also
recommended that breastfeeding should continue for at least two years or
beyond if possible.

But, according to the survey, just 28 percent of cases showed that feeding
was initiated within one hour.

And 49 percent mothers, the survey said, gave pre-lacteal feeds, the most
common being honey, sugar water, plain water and artificial milk. The
practice was significantly higher among illiterates, the study noted.

According to a state-wise break up study, it was shown that feeding within
the first hour was above 50 percent of the cases in parts of Orissa,
Sikkim, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Daman and Diu.

The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur and Karnataka showed that
the practices existed in 35 percent to 50 percent cases, whereas Rajasthan,
Delhi, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh showed 20
percent to 35 percent cases.

In the rest of the states, the practice was less prevalent than 20 percent.

As for exclusive feeding in the first six months, the states of Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Manipur, showed the practice
existed in more than 60 percent cases.

Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim showed the
practice in 20 percent to 40 percent of the cases.

Said Gupta, "These statistics are dismally low. Even if we are able to
improve the initiation one-hour to 50 percent and the exclusive
breastfeeding for six months to 80 percent, we will be able to reduce
infant mortality considerably.

"Efforts should be made to counsel family members, and community groups and
NGOs should make an attempt to spread the message on optimal infant feeding
practices."

--Indo-Asian News Service

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