| Abstract: | In 1976, researchers surveyed 3999 mothers in urban and rural Hyderabad, India. 90% of the mothers breast fed their children. Al began breast feeding immediately after birth. Average age of complete weaning ranged from 5.1 months for the urban elite to 13.3 months for rural women. Postpartum amenorrhea varied from an average of 3.5 months for the urban elite to 11.4 months for rural women. There were significant differences between the different socioeconomic groups in terms of lactation and postpartum amenorrhea (p.05). Both duration of breast feeding and postpartum amenorrhea were positively correlated. In terms of the urban population, 60.7% of the urban elite, 42.75 of the urban middle class, and 37.5% had weaned their infants at or before 5 months. Urban elite children were more likely to receive food supplements earlier than rural children (p.05). On average, urban elite mothers introduced supplements at 5 months while rural mothers introduced them at 10 months. As the educational level of the mothers increased the percentage of lactating mothers decreased irrespective of the socioeconomic class. As the duration of lactation increased the levels of children born alive, mortality among live born siblings, and education of both parents decreased significantly (p.05). Urban elite and middle income women who breast fed for 6 months were more likely to be healthy, have children with higher body weights, and have commercial baby food than those who did for 6 months (p.05). Maternal age, parity, and mortality among siblings were positively associated with longer periods of lactation and postpartum amenorrhea. The leading indicator for duration of lactation among all urban women was age of introduction of supplements. The leading indicator for duration of postpartum amenorrhea was duration of lactation. |
