NEW Updates on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) October 2022
Dear colleagues,
Since our last update in July 2022, we have added 14 NEW publications to our scientific repository related to IYCF in emergency settings. In addition to several international reviews, this update provides emerging evidence from Turkey, Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, Thailand, Australia, Israel, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Poland, Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Indonesia.
Click here to view the updated repository.
Several articles focused on the impacts of natural disasters and climate change on IYCF. Meeting abstracts describe breastfeeding initiatives involving health professionals, childcare workers, teachers, and emergency shelter staff following the 2017 hurricanes in Puerto Rico (USA). Another review examined the impact of wildfire disasters on IYCF practices, citing lack of support and private spaces for lactation, fear of diminished milk supply, and pressure from others to wean early. Another commentary warns of the effects of climate change across Africa on maternal health, neonatal health, and IYCF.
Others sought ways to better meet the needs of refugee mothers in their host countries. A study protocol to evaluate the First 2000 Days Care Connect program in Australia aims to evaluate the integrated health initiative’s impact on breastfeeding rates among migrant and refugee mothers, among other health outcomes. Another study in Turkey examined the effects of migration and contraceptive choice on breastfeeding practices among Syrian refugee women.
Literature related to infectious diseases continues to document the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on IYCF practices. Studies in Indonesia and Israel highlight the barriers and facilitators of breastfeeding during COVID-19 lockdowns; another study in Croatia focused on mothers’ fear of COVID-19 compounded by the stress of earthquakes, leading to early discontinuation of breastfeeding. A new study of non-vaccinated mothers who had recovered from COVID-19 detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisting in maternal serum and breastmilk up to 8 months post-infection.
Several articles focus on challenges in policy and implementation, particularly enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. One qualitative survey across documents gaps in Code enforcement across 6 European countries, highlighting the need for government commitment and continuous monitoring and evaluation to adequately protect breastfeeding. This study also pointed to conflicts of interest in health professional education – a trend echoed by another commentary examining conflicts of interest posed by commercial formula companies in hospitals, healthcare facilities, and medical university settings. These findings are further put into context by a study in Thailand which explored the impact of breastmilk substitute marketing on mother’s feeding practices and attitudes toward formula – particularly when that marketing occurs in healthcare settings.
We aim to publish updates every 3 months - look out for our next update in January 2023. If you know anyone who would benefit from these updates, please direct them to this link to sign up for our email listserv.
Happy reading!