New Delhi — While India has recorded steady gains in institutional deliveries, women’s empowerment initiatives and maternity‑related programmes, exclusive breastfeeding rates have slipped, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑6) data. The decline points to gaps in post‑natal support, workplace protections and maternity benefits, a pattern highlighted by health journalist Bindu Shajan Perappadan.
Key findings
– Institutional deliveries rose to 88 % in 2015‑16, up from 69 % in 2005‑06, reflecting expanded access to hospital‑based childbirth services.
– Despite these gains, the proportion of infants exclusively breast‑fed for the first six months fell from 55 % in 2015‑16 to 53 % in the most recent survey.
– The NFHS‑6 report shows that only 41 % of women received a post‑natal home‑visit within two days of delivery, down from 48 % a decade earlier.
– Workplace‑related maternity benefits remain limited: only 22 % of employed women reported receiving paid maternity leave, and just 15 % said their employers provided flexible working arrangements for new mothers.
Perappadan attributes the downward trend to a combination of medical, social and economic factors. She notes that while public health campaigns have emphasized early and regular antenatal care, post‑natal follow‑up has received far less attention and funding. “The health system’s focus has been on getting women into facilities for birth, but the continuum of care after delivery is slipping through the cracks,” she wrote.
Analysis
The data suggest that improvements in delivery‑site coverage are not automatically translating into better infant nutrition outcomes. Exclusive breastfeeding, a low‑cost, high‑impact intervention, is sensitive to both health‑system support and broader socio‑economic conditions.
1. Post‑natal care gaps – The decline in early home‑visits reduces opportunities for health workers to counsel mothers on breastfeeding techniques, address lactation problems and monitor infant growth. Without timely professional guidance, mothers may turn to formula or mixed feeding, especially if they encounter early difficulties.
2. Workplace constraints – The limited reach of paid maternity leave and flexible work policies likely forces many new mothers to return to work before establishing a stable breastfeeding routine. In the informal sector, which employs a large share of Indian women, statutory benefits are often absent, further eroding support for exclusive breastfeeding.
3. Economic pressures – Rising household incomes have expanded access to commercial infant formula, while aggressive marketing by multinational manufacturers continues despite regulations. The allure of “modern” feeding options can undermine traditional practices, especially when mothers lack reliable post‑natal advice.
Policy experts argue that bridging the “missing link” will require a coordinated strategy that extends beyond the delivery room. Strengthening community health worker programs, enforcing existing maternity‑benefit legislation and curbing formula advertising are cited as priority actions.
Outlook
If India’s maternal‑health trajectory is to sustain its progress, the health system must prioritize the entire continuum of care. Addressing post‑natal support deficiencies and reinforcing workplace protections could help reverse the decline in exclusive breastfeeding, thereby improving child health outcomes and supporting women’s economic participation.
Sources
– The Hindu, “The missing link in India’s maternal health story,” https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/the-missing-link-in-indias-maternal-health-story/article71186272.ece
Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
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