Literature review for - Flourish Paediatrics

Location (rural vs urban) and breastfeeding
Sufficient evidence to make a statement if these studies taken in association with
breastfeeding statistics. Evidence grade Level C
Australia – no difference or slight increase in rural areas in the smaller cohort studies. Cross
sectional studies (eg ABS) show higher ever breastfed rates in rural areas
Eg “Mothers living in capital cities tended to breastfeed for shorter durations than those
living in other urban or rural areas”. (Jain 1996)
China – a review of 79 reported studies of breastfeeding 1990-2008 found that breastfeeding
rates were higher in rural areas. However exclusive breastfeeding rates in the first months
were likely to be lower in rural areas, particularly in the ethnic minority areas where
complementary feeds (eg tea) are often given in the first weeks after birth (Xu, Qiu et al.
2009).
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