The economic cost of not practicing optimal breastfeeding: a review

Abstract

Underfive child mortality is one of the world's most severe public health problems, and the developing world disproportionately bears the brunt of underfive child mortality. It is quite unlikely that developing countries will have sufficient resources, at least in the foreseeable future, to significantly reduce child mortality rates. Fortunately, optimal breastfeeding provides significant protection against child mortality, and it may well be the most practical policy intervention against child mortality in resource-constrained settings. However, the catch lies in the fact that despite the obvious benefits of breastfeeding, optimal breastfeeding is limited across the developing world. I have identified several causal mechanisms that contribute to nonoptimal breastfeeding practices. Additionally, I have drawn upon the literature that has estimated the economic cost of inadequate breastfeeding.

Keywords

• breast feeding
• early initiation of breast feeding
• child mortality
• health expenditures
• underfive mortality rate