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Breastfeeding Rates in Iran: Why Is There Such a Large Gap Between Iran and Other Countries?

Maddah M

In Iran, 86% and 83% of the infants are fully breast fed at 3 and 6 months respectively. The increase in breast feeding rates in Iran was attributable to Iranian government strategy to strongly combat against bottle feeding. Although health care practitioners were providing more support for breast feeding formulae milk was rather expensive and was only prescribed by physician and could be purchased by formulae milk coupon in pharmacies or on black market! Presently, infant formulae can more readily be purchased by the Iranian families and it is prescribed by pediatricians in private clinic. However, health care providers in public health centers do not prescribe formulae milk unless the growing infant experience at least two repeated growth problem judged by their growth monitoring chart. This is especially true for rural areas where infants where formulae milk is distributed by the health system in extreme cases only.

Published 3 April 2008 in J Hum Lact.
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