A second hypothesis tests whether increasing the ratio of breastfeeding counselors to women of reproductive age results in significantly higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding and lower rates of bottle usage among children less than six months old. One hundred additional breastfeeding counselors will be trained as part of the study. Findings from the research will enable program planners at La Leche League and elsewhere to better allocate resources and design effective, efficient programs to increase the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. HIV can be transmitted from infected mothers to their babies during breastfeeding. UN policy recommends that HIV-positive women be fully informed about various infant feeding options, including replacement feeding, and supported in their individual decisions about how to feed their babies.
Project includes a qualitative and a quantitative component.
This information was used in developing an intervention to inform women of infant feeding options. The quantitative study, currently underway, will assess the impact of information and counseling about HIV transmission on women s knowledge, skills, and actual feeding practices. Results from both the qualitative and quantitative studies will provide guidance to the Government of Zimbabwe and to other agencies regarding how best to counsel women about infant feeding in the context of high HIV prevalence. Vietnam has one of the highest rates of childhood malnutrition in the world. Save the Children s program helps parents of poorly nourished children learn how the parents of positive deviant children are able to keep their children well nourished, in spite of tremendous poverty.