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Review
. 2017 Aug;41(5):299-307.
doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2017.04.007. Epub 2017 Jun 16.

Racial and ethnic disparities in U.S. breastfeeding and implications for maternal and child health outcomes

Adetola Louis-Jacques  1 , Tara F Deubel  2 , Melina Taylor  3 , Alison M Stuebe  4
Affiliations
Review

Racial and ethnic disparities in U.S. breastfeeding and implications for maternal and child health outcomes

Adetola Louis-Jacques et al. Semin Perinatol. 2017 Aug.

Abstract

Marked racial and ethnic disparities exist in infant feeding in the United States. Based on a review of recent literature, this article examines current discrepancies between the 2020 Healthy People breastfeeding goals and current breastfeeding rates among women from different ethnic groups in the United States. We discuss maternal and child health outcomes associated with breastfeeding, and we review potential causes of racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding outcomes in the United States, especially among non-Hispanic Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latina populations. We conclude with an overview of best practices in interventions aimed to increase U.S. breastfeeding rates, such as adoption of the baby friendly hospital initiative (BHFI) and programs that utilize peer counseling strategies to increase breastfeeding promotion and support.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Disparities; Health outcomes; Lactation.

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