Economic aspects of breastfeeding

William Butz

Expert InsightsPublished 1977

An examination of the causes and policy implications of the worldwide decline in breastfeeding. Since breastfeeding aids infant development and prevents conception (lactation inhibits ovulation), public health officials are concerned that the breastfeeding decline will lead to impaired infant health and faster population growth. The author develops an economic model that produces a number of hypotheses about breastfeeding behavior. The existing empirical evidence is inadequate for confirming or denying any of the hypotheses, but it suggests that the population at greatest risk--hence the most urgent target for policy--is recent and prospective urban migrants. The author speculates that breastfeeding declines are a natural consequence of a society's economic development and the increasing value women place on their time. Rather than trying to slow or reverse the decline, governments might try to counter its deleterious effects by, say, increasing the supply of effective contraceptives and hygienic, nutritious infant foods.

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Butz, William, Economic aspects of breastfeeding. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1977. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5801.html.
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