A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that not all moms in the United States start breastfeeding their babies at the same rates. Some racial and ethnic groups have more moms who begin breastfeeding than others.
The study looked closely at the numbers and saw that within the Asian group, moms who are Japanese, Korean, Asian Indian, and Filipino were more likely to start breastfeeding. On the other hand, Hispanic moms had different rates, with Cuban moms being the most likely to breastfeed and Puerto Rican moms the least likely.
The study showed that Black moms had the lowest rate of starting to breastfeed, with only about 74.5% doing so. American Indian and Other Pacific Islander groups also had low rates, under 80%.
The CDC’s research tells us that it’s really important to look at health information for each specific racial and ethnic group. When we know more about each group’s unique situations, doctors and people who make health policies can come up with better ways to help all moms start breastfeeding. This can lead to healthier babies and moms in every community.
See “Breastfeeding disparities across racial and ethnic groups in the United States” by Celeste Krewson on the Contemporary OB/GYN website (January 3, 2024)
