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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2001

Contact: Mohit Ghose 202-778-8494

BEST PRACTICES IN BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION HIGHLIGHTED BY THE HHS OFFICE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH AND THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH PLANS

Washington, August 1, 2001. Recognizing the considerable scientific evidence that states breastfeeding is one of the most important contributors to infant health, the Office on Women's Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OWH) and the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) today released a special monograph to highlight programs and practices in health plans that are successfully promoting breastfeeding among new mothers. It is being released on the first day of World Breastfeeding Week.

Health Plans' Innovative Programs in Breastfeeding Promotion highlights eight health plans that have implemented innovative programs to promote breastfeeding, and three health plans that have demonstrated their commitment to breastfeeding promotion through programs for their own employees. It also suggests some lessons learned by health plans that have successfully set up breastfeeding programs, including gaining support from senior management, offering continuing education for health professionals involved in pregnancy services, incorporating pro-breastfeeding messages through all prenatal counseling sessions, directing special efforts to racial and ethnic minorities, using certified lactation consultants, offering high quality breast pumps, and establishing a network of community referral services.

Health plans have a vital role to play in increasing the number of women who successfully breastfeed their babies," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of the American Association of Health Plans. We promote breastfeeding through a wide variety of programs, innovations, and partnerships aimed at encouraging a positive breastfeeding experience."

The monograph is being developed in response to the recently released Department of Health and Human Services' Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding, the first comprehensive national framework to promote breastfeeding and optimal breastfeeding practices. The Blueprint recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed during the first four to six months of life, and ideally, through the first year of life. It also recommends that health care professionals who provide maternal and child care should be trained in the basics of lactation and breastfeeding counseling; and that social support and information resources be established for women.

Despite the many benefits of breastfeeding, statistics reveal that 64 percent of American mothers breastfeed in the early postpartum period, with only 29 percent still breastfeeding six months after birth. Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding are wide, revealing extremely low rates among African-American women. Most women can successfully breastfeed, with the exception of some women who have certain serious health conditions. Healthy People 2010, the nation?s health agenda for the next decade, has set an objective to increase the proportion of all mothers whom breastfeed in the early postpartum period to 75 percent. The support and participation of health care providers is critical to meeting the Healthy People objectives, said Wanda Jones, Dr.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women's Health) and director of the Office on Women's Health. "The information in this well-researched monograph will give invaluable guidance to health providers who want to improve their breastfeeding promotion programs."

Scientific evidence states that human milk contains an abundance of factors that are active against infection. Breastfed infants, compared with formula-fed infants, produce enhanced immune responses to polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and common respiratory infections. Recent research also suggests that breastfeeding reduces the risk of chronic diseases among children, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, and childhood cancer. Scientific evidence suggests that breastfeeding provides a range of benefits for an infant's growth, immunity and development. In addition, breastfeeding has also been shown to improve maternal health, including less postpartum bleeding, earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight, a possible reduced risk of ovarian cancer and premenopausal breast cancer, and positive hormonal, physical and psychosocial effects.

Plans profiled in the monograph include HealthNet, Inc., HealthPartners, Independent Health, Kaiser Health Plan of Georgia, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Kaiser Permanente of Southern California, Keystone Health Plan East, UCare Minnesota, Aetna, Humana, and Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana.

The monograph is available from the AAHP' website at www.aahp.org in the Women's Health section or on the web site of the National Women's Health Information Center, sponsored by OWH. (www.womenshealth.gov/owh/pub/bf.cfm). The full text of the HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding can be found on a new specialty section on breastfeeding on the Web site of the National Women's Health Information Center (www.womenshealth.gov) or through its toll-free telephone service at 1-800-994WOMAN (TDD: 1-888-220-5446). For a brief look at some of the many programs and services currently promoting and supporting breastfeeding within health care, work sites, and communities nationwide, visit the Web site developed by the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding.

The HHS Office on Women's Health provides national leadership in advancing women's health. It acts as a catalyst for new national and regional initiatives to improve women's health, including support for 18 Centers of Excellence in Women's Health at academic medical centers and community clinics that serve as models for integrated and comprehensive women's health care services and research.

The American Association of Health Plans is the largest national organization representing health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and other similar health plans that provide health care coverage to more than 170 million Americans.

Health Plans' Innovative Programs in Breastfeeding Promotion is part of the AAHP's Advancing Women's Health Series that showcases exemplary practices and programs in various women's health topics including breast cancer, domestic violence, obstetrics and prenatal care, hormone replacement therapy and other mid-life issues and depression care.

For more information on World Breastfeeding Week, click on www.lalecheleague.org