Racial disparities in breastfeeding are similar to those that persist in other facets of health, including infant mortality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 25.6% of all US infants born in 2017 were exclusively breastfed through 6 months of age. Whereas the 6-month exclusive breastfeeding rate among white infants born in 2017 was above the national average at 28.7%, only 21.2% of Black infants born in the same year and 19.6% of Native American infants born in 2015 (there is a lack of reporting after 2015) were exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.2 Given the known benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and infant and the increased risks of comorbid health conditions for these communities, there is much to learn about how these disparities began and the policies that have fueled them.3 The explanation for the disparities among Black and Native American infants is likely multifactorial, but each group possesses a unique historical legacy.
View the rest of the article: Pediatrics: Beyond Statistics: Uncovering the Roots of Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding