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Breast-feeding, birth interval and child mortality in Bangladesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Abul Kashem Majumder
Abul Kashem Majumder
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh
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Summary

The 1975–76 Bangladesh Fertility Survey data show little evidence that breast-feeding is the intermediate factor through which birth intervals influence child survival in Bangladesh. Preceding birth interval, subsequent pregnancy and breast-feeding duration each have an independent influence on early mortality risk. Within a specific interval the risk of dying decreases with increase in duration of breast-feeding, and also with an increase in the time between the index birth and the next pregnancy. The death of the immediately preceding child in infancy has a significant negative effect on the survival chance of the index child at ages 1–5 months. However, death of the preceding child appears to have a significantly positive effect on the survival chance of the index child between ages 9 months and 5 years; this may be related to competition between siblings.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , July 1991 , pp. 297 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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