Breastfeeding Saves Lives Around the World

Breastfeeding benefits mom & baby

Researchers studied breastfeeding habits and its health effects in various countries around the world.

They had a number if interesting findings, concluding that "The scaling up of breastfeeding to a near universal level could prevent 823,000 annual deaths in children younger than 5 years and 20,000 annual deaths from breast cancer [in mothers]."

Once again, breastfeeding has been shown to be overwhelmingly beneficial for baby and mom. Check out what else the researchers found:

• With few exceptions, breastfeeding duration is shorter in high-income countries than in those that are resource-poor.
• Breastfeeding protected against child infections and [dental/jaw problems]
• Breastfeeding was associated with increased intelligence, and probable reductions in overweight and diabetes
• For nursing women, breastfeeding gave protection against breast cancer and it improved birth spacing, and it might also protect against ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes
• In low-middle income countries infants <6 months who were not breastfed had over a three-fold increase in risk of mortality
• In high income countries breastfeeding was linked to a 36% reduction in sudden infant deaths
• Evidence review suggested breastfeeding was linked to a 19% reduction in the development of childhood leukemia
• Recent evidence expands on the known benefits of breastfeeding for women and children

 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life whenever possible. Any mothers struggling with breastfeeding are encouraged to use resources that will help them. Breastfeeding is the best way to start a child on a healthy path.