CURRENT INFANT BREASTFEEDING PRACTICE IN BULGARIA AND DETERMINANTS
Journal Title: Българско списание за обществено здраве (Bulgarian Journal of Public Health) - Year 2010, Vol 0, Issue 4
Abstract
The availability of nationally representative data on the nutrition of infants is a necessary condition for elaborating a National Health and Nutrition Policy. The available scientific data on the breastfeeding of infants in Bulgaria have been provided by local and regional studies concerning various aspects of infants’ nutrition. Aim: To determine the prevalence, duration and practices of breastfeeding of infants in Bulgaria and the impact of the risk factors on breastfeeding. Methods: Data were obtained by active interview with the mother. Initiation, pattern, regime, prevalence and duration of breastfeeding were studied. The investigated socioeconomic factors covered mother’s age, education, employment, marital status and household income. Results: The prevalence of breastfeeding during the neonatal period among studied infants and young children was 92.6%. Only 4.6 % of infants were breastfed up to one hour after birth, as recommended by WHO and UNICEF. Exclusive breastfeeding was reported only for 4.2 % of infants aged 0-1 months. The duration of breastfeeding was short. Among children aged 1 to 5 years, 19% of infants were breastfed up to 1 month, 15% - up to 2 months and 10% - up to 6 months. Mother’s age, education and unemployment were found to be the socioeconomic factors affecting breastfeeding, the characteristics of their impact on the studied ethnic groups of mothers being different. Conclusion: The breastfeeding practices among the majority of studied children were determined by the national traditions and did not comply with international recommendations.
Authors and Affiliations
Stefka Petrova, Lalka Rangelova, Aneta Popivanova, Dora Ovcharova, Vesselka Duleva
Keywords
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