To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Hospital Infant Formula Packages Have No Effect on Breast-Feeding URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/31702.htm Doctor's Guide July 23, 1997
CHICAGO -- July 23, 1997 -- A study in the July issue of the American Medical Association (AMA) journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine disputes previous research that says hospital discharge packages containing infant formula encourage new mothers to stop breast-feeding. The researchers evaluated a sample of 763 breast-feeding mothers and found that formula packages had no effect on the duration of breast feeding. Upon discharge, the women received one of three packages including: a manual breast pump; samples of infant formula; or a manual breast pump and samples of infant formula. Among all three groups, the average duration of exclusive breast-feeding was 6.5 weeks and 10 weeks for partial breast-feeding. "This study brings into question the policy of banning infant formula discharge packages from hospital maternal-fetal units," the authors write. According to the results, the duration of exclusive and partial breast-feeding did not vary significantly among the three groups in this study. However, the duration of breast-feeding was much shorter than the goal established by the Healthy People 2000 report of 75 percent of women initiating breast-feeding and 50 percent continuing to breast-feed at six months, the authors report. "Therefore, health professionals should focus their efforts on supporting the breast-feeding process and the positive health benefits for the infants," the authors conclude. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.