title: Breast-feeding, birth interval and child mortality in Bangladesh.
abstract: The 1975-76 Bangladesh Fertility Survey data show little evidence that breast-feeding is the intermediate factor through which birth intervals influence child survival in Bangladesh. Preceding birth interval, subsequent pregnancy and breast-feeding duration each have an independent influence on early mortality risk. Within a specific interval the risk of dying decreases with increase in duration of breast-feeding, and also with an increase in the time between the index birth and the next pregnancy. The death of the immediately preceding child in infancy has a significant negative effect on the survival chance of the index child at ages 1-5 months. However, death of the preceding child appears to have a significantly positive effect on the survival chance of the index child between ages 9 months and 5 years; this may be related to competition between siblings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Majumder
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D001721:Birth Intervals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis