Interruption of breastfeeding by child death and pregnancy
Edmonston, B.
Social Biology 37(3-4): 233-250
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-766X PMID: 2093236 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.1990.9988763Document Number: 375026
A microanalytic model is used to estimate mean monthly losses and proportionate interruptions of breastfeeding intervals due to child death and pregnancy. The model incorporates stochastic risks for the basic processes of human reproduction, including breastfeeding and early child death processess. Estimates of interrupted breastfeeding range from 25% when mortality is low and breastfeeding is short to 63% when mortality is high and breastfeeding duration is long. As such, a high proportion of breastfeeding intervals end before fulfilling their hypothetical duration. Demonstrating these potential biases in retrospective reporting of breastfeeding duration, this paper points out the need for caution in interpreting observed durations of breastfeeding for statistical analysis. Efforts to compensate against these biases could include gaining information on these 2 processes in the data collection process. The author comments on future research in closing.