Providing Behavioral Interventions in Primary Care to Encourage and Support Breast-Feeding

Background

Breast-feeding, including expressed breast milk, is associated with substantial child and maternal health benefits. Currently 27% of U.S. infants are exclusively breast-fed through age 6 months, with a Healthy People 2030 goal of increasing this to 42%. Following an updated systematic review, the USPSTF has reiterated its 2016 guidance (NEJM JW Womens Health Dec 2016 and JAMA 2016; 316:1688), recommending behavioral interventions to increase initiation, duration, and exclusivity of breast-feeding.

Key Points

• The Task Force found adequate evidence that primary care behavioral interventions provide a moderate benefit in improving initiation, duration, and exclusivity…