Trend and differentials in breastfeeding and amenorrhea durations in a rural area in South India.

This study identified the trends and differences in breast feeding and amenorrhea among a stratified sample of households in Athoor block in 1965 1970 and 1986 in India. The samples were representative of the whole block. Findings indicate that the duration of breast feeding declined from 22.2 months during the late 1960s to 18.4 months during the mid-1980s. Breast feeding was universal up to 12 months in both periods. Mothers who introduced supplementary food early or limited breast feeding were mainly literate modern mothers who worked in the nonagricultural sector or were housewives. Male infants were breast fed longer than female infants. Duration of breast feeding increased with an increase in birth order. The mean duration of amenorrhea was 14.4 months in the late 1960s and 9.6 months in the mid-1980s. The proportion of women who were still amenorrheic at later intervals declined faster in the mid-1980s. Although the proportion of women who maintained breast feeding at 12 months remained stable the proportion still in amenorrhea declined. The authors assert that the total duration of breast feeding is a better predictor of duration of amenorrhea than duration of unsupplemented breast feeding. It is common among this population for mothers to introduce supplements early and to breast feed for a long time.