Robyn is concerned about population growth and wonders how breastfeeding and
healthier families impacts it. Actually, this was studied in a fascinating
article some years back.  The reference is:  Hanson,L and Bergstrom,S, The
Link Between Infant Mortality and Birth Rates - The Importance of
Breastfeeding as a Common Factor, Acta Paediatr Scand 1990, 79:481-489.

Reviewing historical and recent demographic data, the authors  concluded
that the factors which determine mortality also influence fertility.  With
very few exceptions, a regional decrease in infant mortality rates is
generally followed by a decline in the birth rate.  Often this apparently
causal decline occurs in as short a time span as ten years.  The mechanisms
seem to reflect the fact that when women fear that some of their children
will die before reaching maturity, they have many more births.  Increases in
maternal education and economic status are associated with lower numbers of
births (because the children tend to be healthier and survive better if
women have some personal power).  The  authors of this study really make a
strong case that the decrease in morbidity and mortality conferred by
breastfeeding is a powerful factor, and perhaps not understood or
appreciated enough.  They point out that the longer the infant breastfeeds,
the better the chances of the infant surviving, and the better the
likelihood that lactational amenorrhea will widen theintervals between
births.  Better birth spacing affects maternal health as well.  They suggest
that promoting better child survival thru increased bfg. will result in
DECREASES in birth rate.


Barbara Wilson-Clay, BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates, Austin, Texas
http://www.lactnews.com

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