Socio-eco status affects breast feeding, fertility — Study

Studying the breast-feeding habits of all children born during the last four years, scientists Shankar Dihidar and G N Bhattacharjee of the Indian Statistical Institute’s Population Studies Unit here found that increase in the breast-feeding period resulted in more chances of pregnancies in the subsequent months after child birth.

Working mothers, who have less time to breast-feed their babies, were found to have a longer post partum amenorrhoea phase (interval of suppressed menstrual cycle), but most of them contained future pregnancies by using family planning methods.

"However, Muslim women are mostly bound by religious beliefs that dictate up to two years of breast-feeding. This increases their chances of future pregnancies," Dihidar said.

Among the states studied, women in Tripura and West Bengal were found to be have the highest median duration of 30 months of breast feeding.

The study, made on the yardsticks of ‘exclusive’ (only breast milk feeding) and ‘total’ (breast-feeding along with supplementary food), also found that women in Rajasthan had the highest median range of exclusive feeding.

"The trends also provide important links between the feeding habits and survival probability of the kids since breast milk imparts immunity against diseases like diarrhoea and various infections," Dihidar said.

During the four-year study the scientists also found that over 60 per cent of the women harboured myths about the first breast milk or colestrum.

"More than half the women mistook the dense, yellow substance as harmful for the babies whereas it actually is rich in immunising vitamins and minerals," Dihidar said.

The team is currently working on a multivariate study to analyse child mortality rates due to non-availability of colestrum.