Mother's Milk Saves LivesAlberto Cremonesi
NEW YORK, Aug
21 (IPS) - Although experts say that breastfeeding gives children the best start
in life, protecting them from life-threatening diseases and providing essential
nutrients, barely a third of all infants in developing countries are exclusively
breastfed for the first six months.
"Breast milk contains exactly
the nutrients that the infant needs, helping the infant's development, with
breastfed children performing better on intelligence tests than formula-fed
children," Randa Jarudi Saadeh, a scientist at the Nutrition for Health and
Development Department of the World Health Organisation, told IPS.
"Furthermore, breastfeeding helps mother and infant bond," she said.
Human milk is the ideal nourishment for infants' survival, growth and
development. According to medical studies, exclusive breastfeeding for the first
six months of life stimulates babies' immune systems and protects them from
life-threatening diseases such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections --
two of the main causes of infant mortality in developing countries.
"Exclusive breastfeeding means giving the baby nothing other than breast
milk -- not even water -- for the first six months of life," David Clark, a
project officer at the nutrition section of the U.N. children's agency UNICEF,
told IPS.
"Newborns are extremely vulnerable as their immune systems are
not yet functioning," he said. "Breast milk protects the baby by providing him
or her with the mothers' antibodies. The bottom line is that exclusive
breastfeeding saves lives."
But according to UNICEF's State of the
World's Children report last year, exclusive breastfeeding rates are still very
low, just 37 percent worldwide, with more than 60 percent of mothers not
exclusively breastfeeding during the crucial six first six months.
Some
studies have shown that brochures and free samples distributed by infant formula
companies are linked to a significant decrease in the number of women who
breast-fed their babies in the first two weeks of life. The marketing campaigns
also shortened the breastfeeding duration of women who did not plan to
breastfeed for more than 12 weeks.
The World Health Organisation (WHO)
reports that there are still nearly 11 million children who die every year from
preventable causes. If every baby were exclusively breastfed for the first six
months of life, an estimated 1.3 million additional lives would be saved every
year, while complementary feeding could prevent another 578,000 deaths.
One problem is that most formula comes in powdered form and must be
mixed with water before it is ready. But many mothers in developing countries
lack access to clean water, and the formula can end up with bacteria and other
contaminants.
Overall, the rates of exclusive breastfeeding have
improved, although large variations exist across regions. The highest rates are
currently found in the East Asia/Pacific region (43 percent), while the lowest
are found in West and Central Africa (20 percent).
Clark notes that in
countries where health and community workers were trained to give mothers
counseling and support, breastfeeding rates "doubled, tripled, and even
quadrupled".
But despite the high cost of breast milk substitutes, and
the fact that they lack natural antibodies to disease, many mothers still use to
them as a way to feed their children.
"Common difficulties which hinder
breastfeeding are unsupportive environments such as workplaces with inadequate
working conditions, or public places where mothers are not allowed to
breastfeed," Dr. Richard Alderslade of the WHO told IPS.
"Cultural and
social factors also play a role in influencing infant feeding decisions.
Improper marketing and promotion of food products that compete with
breastfeeding are important factors that often negatively affect the choice and
ability of a mother to breastfeed her infant optimally."
In fact, there
has been a boycott of the Swiss food giant Nestle going on since 1977, with
activists charging that the company uses unethical tactics to promote its infant
formula, especially in developing countries. Hundreds of European universities,
colleges and schools have since banned the sale of Nestlé products from their
shops and vending machines.
Of course, breastfeeding is not always
possible, and problems can arise with the mother or infant, or both. One major
issue is the situation of HIV-positive mothers, when the danger of nursing must
be weighed against the consequences of not breastfeeding.
Studies have
shown that babies who are breastfed by HIV-positive mothers have a 10 to 20
percent chance of becoming infected, and the longer a child is breastfed, the
higher the risk of contracting the virus.
Although some precautions can
be taken, such as replacement feeding, home-prepared modified animal milk,
heat-treated expressed breast milk, breast milk banks or wet nursing, it remains
a frightening dilemma both for mothers and for organisations that promote
breastfeeding.
"Guidance is also available for HIV-positive women who
choose not to breastfeed on adequate and safe alternatives," Alderslade
explained. "The guidelines, training materials and job-aids on HIV and infant
feeding provide detailed instructions on how to prepare, administer and safely
store breast-milk substitutes, including commercially prepared infant formula as
well as home modified animal milks."
Clark said that, "In the short
term, we would like to see a continued increase in the number of baby-friendly
hospitals and of countries with effective legislation to implement the
International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and the 2000 Maternity
Protection Convention."
"We would also like to see greater awareness of
the risks of artificial feeding. In the long term, we would like to see a world
in which mothers, families and other caregivers can make fully informed
decisions about optimal infant feeding and receive the support they need to
carry them out," Clarke added.
World Breastfeeding Week 2006, which
ended on Aug. 7, also marks the 25th anniversary of the International Code of
Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which prohibits advertising and aggressive
marketing of formulas, bottles and nipples.
"The fact that there has
been an improvement means that the strategies we have been using are working,"
Clark said. "However, much more needs to be done. Just over 60 countries around
the world have adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk
Substitutes into enforceable national regulations. Clearly more countries need
to follow this example."
Breastfeeding and good nutrition for children
are also critical for achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals,
particularly the goals relating to child survival, such as reducing child
mortality by 50 percent by 2015 and eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.
(END/2006)
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