Last update: Feb 2013
Early initiation of breastfeeding (newborns put to the breast within one hour of birth)
| Country | Year | Early initiation of breastfeeding (%) |
Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | ||||
| Albania | 2008-2009 | 43 | DHS 2008-2009, Final report, Table 11.1, p. 155 | |
| Algeria | 2006 | 50 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Andorra | ||||
| Angola | 2007 | 55 | Angola Nutrition Survey 2007 | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | ||||
| Argentina | ||||
| Armenia | 2010 | 36 | ARM_DHS _2010 | |
| Australia | ||||
| Austria | ||||
| Azerbaijan | 2006 | 32 | x | DHS 2006, Final Report, Tables 12.2, p. 141 |
| Bahamas | ||||
| Bahrain | ||||
| Bangladesh | 2006 | 36 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Barbados | ||||
| Belarus | 2005 | 21 | x | MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Belgium | ||||
| Belize | 2006 | 51 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Tables NU.2, p. 55 |
| Benin | 2008 | 32 | Analyse Globale de la Vulnérabilité, de la Sécurité Alimentaire et de la Nutrition (AGVSAN) 2008, Table 20, p. 84 | |
| Bhutan | 2010 | 59 | MICS 2010, Table 5 | |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 2008 | 64 | DHS 2008 | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2005 | 57 | x | MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Botswana | 2007 | 40 | Family Health Survey 2007, Final report, Table 8.4, p. 63 | |
| Brazil | 2006 | 43 | x | MOH, PNDS 2006, Table 43, p. 247 |
| Brunei Darussalam | ||||
| Bulgaria | ||||
| Burkina Faso | 2006 | 20 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ May 2007 |
| Burundi | ||||
| Cambodia | 2010 | 65 | DHS 2010, Preliminary report, Table 11, p. 25 | |
| Cameroon | 2006 | 20 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Table NU.3, p. 125 |
| Canada | ||||
| Cape Verde | 2009 | 73 | x | CPV_DHS_2005 |
| Central African Republic | 2010 | 43 | CAF_Draft Rapport MICS 4_2012 | |
| Chad | 2010 | 29 | TCD_MICS (Prelim)_2010 | |
| Chile | ||||
| China | 2008 | 41 | National Health Services Survey (NHSS) 2008, p. 417 | |
| Colombia | 2010 | 57 | DHS 2010, Final report, Table 11.1.1, p. 271 | |
| Comoros | 1996 | 25 | x | DHS 1996, Final Report, Table 8.1, p. 118 |
| Congo | 2005 | 39 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.1, p. 158 |
| Cook Islands | ||||
| Costa Rica | ||||
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2006 | 25 | x | MICS 2006, reanalysed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Croatia | ||||
| Cuba | 2006 | 70 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Tables NU.1, p. 42 |
| Cyprus | ||||
| Czech Republic | ||||
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea | 2009 | 18 | MICS 2009 | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2010 | 43 | MICS 2010 | |
| Denmark | ||||
| Djibouti | 2010 | 67 | National nutrition survey (SMART) 2010 | |
| Dominica | ||||
| Dominican Republic | 2007 | 65 | DHS 2007, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 193 | |
| Ecuador | ||||
| Egypt | 2008 | 56 | DHS 2008, Final report, Table 13.1, p. 166 | |
| El Salvador | 2008 | 33 | FESAL 2008. Tables 12.7-12.8, pp. 364-365 | |
| Equatorial Guinea | ||||
| Eritrea | 2002 | 78 | x | DHS 2002, Final Report, Table 10.1, p. 162 |
| Estonia | ||||
| Ethiopia | 2011 | 52 | ETH_DHS_2011 | |
| Fiji | 2004 | 57 | x | National Nutrition Survey 2004, pp. 47-48 |
| Finland | ||||
| France | ||||
| Gabon | 2000 | 71 | x | DHS 2000, Final Report, Table 9.1, p. 163 |
| Gambia | 2010 | 52 | GMB_MICS (Prelim)_2010 | |
| Georgia | 2010 | 69 | GEO_GEO_NCDC_statisticalYearboook_2010_2012, Based on Data collected from the Maternity Hospitals | |
| Germany | ||||
| Ghana | 2008 | 52 | DHS 2008, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 185 | |
| Greece | ||||
| Grenada | ||||
| Guatemala | 2008-2009 | 56 | National maternal and child health survey (ENSMI) 2008-2009 | |
| Guinea | 2005 | 40 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 10.1, p. 153 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2010 | 55 | MICS 2010 Preliminary | |
| Guyana | 2006 | 43 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ July 2008 |
| Haiti | 2005 | 44 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.1, p. 148 |
| Holy See | ||||
| Honduras | 2005 | 79 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.1, p. 179 |
| Hungary | ||||
| Iceland | ||||
| India | 2007-2008 | 41 | x | District Level Health Survey 2007-2008, Final report, Table 5.2, p. 85 |
| Indonesia | 2010 | 29 | IDN_Basic Health Research_2010 | |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 2005 | 56 | x | MOH, Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System (IMES) |
| Iraq | 2006 | 31 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Ireland | ||||
| Israel | ||||
| Italy | ||||
| Jamaica | 2005 | 62 | x | MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Japan | ||||
| Jordan | 2007 | 39 | PAPFAM 2007, Preliminary report, Table 11.2 | |
| Kazakhstan | 2006 | 64 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Kenya | 2008-2009 | 58 | DHS 2008-2009, Final report, Table 11.3, p. 147 | |
| Kiribati | ||||
| Kuwait | ||||
| Kyrgyzstan | 2006 | 65 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 2006 | 30 | x | MICS 2006, reanalysed by UNICEF HQ, June 2008 |
| Latvia | ||||
| Lebanon | ||||
| Lesotho | 2009 | 53 | DHS 2009, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 136 | |
| Liberia | 2010 | 44 | Food Security and Nutrition Survey 2010 | |
| Libya | ||||
| Liechtenstein | ||||
| Lithuania | ||||
| Luxembourg | ||||
| Madagascar | 2008-2009 | 72 | DHS 2008-2009, Final report, Table 11.1, p. 180 | |
| Malawi | 2006 | 58 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Tables 6.2, p. 51 |
| Malaysia | ||||
| Maldives | 2009 | 64 | DHS 2009, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 120 | |
| Mali | 2006 | 46 | x | DHS 2006, Final report, Tables 11.1, p.158 |
| Malta | ||||
| Marshall Islands | 2007 | 73 | DHS 2007, Final report, Table 11.1, p. 156 | |
| Mauritania | 2010 | 81 | National nutrition survey (SMART) 2010 | |
| Mauritius | ||||
| Mexico | 2009 | 18 | Encuesta Nacional de la Dinámica Demográfica (ENADID) 2009, with additional analysis by country office | |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | ||||
| Monaco | ||||
| Mongolia | 2010 | 71 | MNG_MICS Summary Report_2010 | |
| Montenegro | 2005 | 25 | x | MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Morocco | 2003 | 52 | x | DHS 2003, Final Report, Table 10.1, p. 134 |
| Mozambique | 2008 | 63 | MICS 2008, Final report, Table 5.2a, p. 50 | |
| Myanmar | 2009-2010 | 76 | MICS 2009-2010, Table NU.2 | |
| Namibia | 2006-2007 | 71 | DHS 2006-07, Preliminary report, Tables 11.2 | |
| Nauru | 2007 | 76 | DHS 2007, Preliminary report, Table 11.4 | |
| Nepal | 2011 | 45 | NPL_DHS_2011 | |
| Netherlands | ||||
| New Zealand | ||||
| Nicaragua | 2006-2007 | 54 | DHS 2006-2007, Final report, Table 9.1, p. 291 | |
| Niger | 2010 | 42 | Enquête Survie des Enfants des enfants de 0 à 59 mois et Mortalité 2010 | |
| Nigeria | 2008 | 38 | DHS 2008, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 168 | |
| Niue | ||||
| Norway | ||||
| Oman | 2000 | 85 | x | National Health Survey 2000, Table: 4.1, p. 54 |
| Pakistan | 2006-2007 | 29 | DHS 2006-07, Final report, Tables 11.1, p. 140 | |
| Palau | ||||
| Panama | ||||
| Papua New Guinea | ||||
| Paraguay | 2008 | 47 | ENDSSR 2008, Table 9.3, p. 279 | |
| Peru | 2010 | 51 | DHS 2010, Final report, Table 10.1A, p. 237 | |
| Philippines | 2008 | 54 | DHS 2008, Final report, Table 11.1, p. 134 | |
| Poland | ||||
| Portugal | ||||
| Qatar | ||||
| Republic of Korea | ||||
| Republic of Moldova | 2005 | 65 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.1, p. 140 |
| Romania | ||||
| Russian Federation | ||||
| Rwanda | 2010 | 71 | RWA_DHS_2010 | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | ||||
| Saint Lucia | ||||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | ||||
| Samoa | 2009 | 88 | DHS 2009, Final report, Table 11.1, p. 138 | |
| San Marino | ||||
| Sao Tome and Principe | 2008-2009 | 45 | DHS 2008-2009, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 163 | |
| Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Senegal | 2005 | 23 | x | DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 10.1, p. 182 |
| Serbia | 2010 | 8 | SRB_MICS_2010 | |
| Seychelles | ||||
| Sierra Leone | 2010 | 45 | SLE_MICS_2010 | |
| Singapore | ||||
| Slovakia | ||||
| Slovenia | ||||
| Solomon Islands | 2007 | 75 | DHS 2007, Preliminary report, Table 11.4 | |
| Somalia | 2006 | 26 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Tables NU.2, p. 80 |
| South Africa | 2003 | 61 | x | DHS 2003, Final report, Table 8.1, p. 143 |
| South Sudan* | ||||
| Spain | ||||
| Sri Lanka | 2006-2007 | 80 | DHS 2006-2007, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 159 | |
| State of Palestine | ||||
| Sudan* | ||||
| Suriname | 2006 | 34 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, July 2008 |
| Swaziland | 2010 | 55 | SWZ_MICS_2010 | |
| Sweden | ||||
| Switzerland | ||||
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2009 | 46 | PAPFAM 2009, Table 14-1, p. 160 | |
| Tajikistan | 2009 | 57 | y | Within 30 minutes of birth; Micronutrient Status Survey (MNSS) 2009, Appendix 11, Table 109 |
| Thailand | 2005-2006 | 50 | x | MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 2011 | 21 | MKD_MICS(Prelim)_2011 | |
| Timor-Leste | 2009-2010 | 82 | DHS 2009-2010, Final report, Table 12.2, p. 153 | |
| Togo | 2010 | 46 | TGO_Tableau final des donnees de MICS4 Togo 2010_2010-2011 | |
| Tonga | ||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2006 | 41 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Tunisia | 2006 | 87 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Table NU.2, p. 63 |
| Turkey | 2008 | 39 | DHS 2008, Final report, Table 12.1, p. 172 | |
| Turkmenistan | 2006 | 60 | x | MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 |
| Tuvalu | 2007 | 15 | DHS 2007, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 161 | |
| Uganda | 2006 | 42 | x | DHS 2006, Final report, Tables 12.2, p. 157 |
| Ukraine | 2007 | 41 | DHS 2007, Final report, Table 10.7, p. 94 | |
| United Arab Emirates | ||||
| United Kingdom | ||||
| United Republic of Tanzania | 2010 | 49 | DHS 2010, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 168 | |
| United States | ||||
| Uruguay | 2011 | 59 | URY_UNICEF RUANDI_2011 | |
| Uzbekistan | 2006 | 67 | x | MICS 2006, Final report, Tables 8, p. 79 |
| Vanuatu | 2007 | 72 | MICS 2007, Final report, Table NU.2, p. 25 | |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | ||||
| Viet Nam | 2011 | 40 | VNM_MICS_2010-2011 | |
| Yemen | 2006 | 30 | x | MICS 2006, Preliminary report, p. 13 |
| Zambia | 2007 | 57 | DHS 2007, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 165 | |
| Zimbabwe | 2005-2006 | 69 | x | DHS 2005-06, Final Report, Table 11.1, p. 150 |
| Reional summaries | Early initiation of breastfeeding (%) |
|---|---|
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 48 |
| Eastern and Southern Africa | 56 |
| West and Central Africa | 41 |
| Middle East and North Africa | - |
| South Asia | 39 |
| East Asia and the Pacific | 41 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | - |
| CEE/CIS | - |
| Industrialized countries | - |
| Least developed countries | 52 |
| World | 42 |
Notes:
x: Data refer to estiamtes from years or periods other than 2007 - 2011 and are not used in the calculation of regional and global averages with the exception of the India NFHS 2005 - 2006.
DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys
ENDESA: Encuesta Nicaragüense de Demografía y Salud (Nicaragua)
ENDSSR: Encuesta Nacional de Demografía y Salud Sexual y Reproductiva (Paraguay)
ENSMI: Encuesta Nacional de Salud Materno Infantil (Guatemala)
FESAL: Encuesta Nacional de Salud Familiar (El Salvador)
INE-IDSR: Instituto Nacional de Estatística–Inquérito Demográfica e de Saúde Reprodutiva (Cape Verde)
MICS: Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys
MOH: Ministry of Health
PAPFAM: Pan Arab Project for Family Health
PNDS: Pesquisa Nacional de Demografia e Saúde (Brazil)
RHS: Reproductive Health Survey (Mongolia)
RUANDI-MSP: Red Uruguaya de Apoyo a la Nutrición y Desarollo Infantil-Ministerio de Salud Pública (Ministry of Public Health)
SMART: Standard Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions