[Home button] Breastfeeding by mothers 15-44 years of age by year of baby's birth, according to selected characteristics of mother: United States, 1970-71 to 1986-87 [Data are based on household interviews of samples of women in the childbearing ages] Selected characteristics of mother 1970-71 1972-73 1974-75 1976-771978-79 1980-81 1982-83 1984-851986-87 Percent of babies breastfed Total 24.9 29.1 34.2 42.0 44.4 52.5 57.3 55.5 55.0 Race White 26.4 30.4 37.3 45.9 48.1 57.2 62.3 59.9 60.3 Black 10.8 14.6 17.1 19.5 24.5 24.5 27.0 22.9 23.5 Education1 Less than 12 years 15.0 23.4 18.4 25.6 25.8 34.0 30.5 32.9 33.8 12 years 20.8 27.6 30.2 34.8 41.6 45.8 53.6 46.8 51.2 13 years or more 38.5 35.1 49.5 62.3 58.9 73.5 73.6 74.7 73.0 Geographic region Northeast 31.8 24.3 31.4 38.5 37.7 46.6 67.7 65.3 64.6 Midwest 23.7 23.8 29.3 43.6 48.1 54.6 46.7 44.2 44.8 South 11.7 22.0 22.9 32.1 31.8 41.8 56.4 54.3 46.2 West 39.5 55.5 61.6 61.3 66.5 70.1 67.7 67.4 72.5 Age2 20-24 years - - *22.0 27.8 30.4 45.4 31.8 31.9 42.4 25-44 years 24.9 29.3 34.6 44.1 47.9 58.1 60.5 61.8 62.1 25-29 years *13.9 24.1 25.6 35.5 45.0 55.0 48.4 54.8 57.5 30-44 years 25.8 30.7 38.8 50.2 50.4 61.8 66.2 66.9 67.0 Percent of breastfed babies who were breastfed 3 months or more Total 49.5 53.4 61.7 61.7 66.5 66.0 66.6 61.6 54.2 Race White 49.0 52.5 60.8 63.6 66.9 66.3 65.6 62.6 53.1 Black 55.7 48.8 74.5 59.5 61.3 55.4 60.4 49.9 53.2 Education1 Less than 12 years *39.2 62.9 52.8 38.0 64.5 56.1 53.4 63.8 51.7 12 years 34.8 51.6 54.6 57.4 57.6 60.3 59.4 53.5 50.4 13 years or more 63.5 50.7 69.1 71.3 73.9 72.7 73.3 66.1 57.8 Geographic region Northeast 59.7 *67.7 61.8 59.8 67.7 57.6 73.6 69.7 52.0 Midwest 39.3 45.4 54.1 56.5 62.6 66.1 62.0 53.4 54.2 South *32.9 39.1 57.4 61.8 63.5 67.0 64.6 55.2 50.1 West 56.5 62.7 68.7 67.9 72.4 70.1 67.6 70.1 59.3 Age2 20-24 years - - *27.6 52.8 51.9 53.6 54.9 54.5 50.4 25-44 years 49.5 53.4 62.4 62.5 68.8 70.6 67.3 62.5 55.7 25-29 years *80.9 38.1 55.0 41.4 65.1 63.6 58.6 56.1 50.1 30-44 years 48.2 56.7 64.7 73.2 71.5 77.9 70.4 66.3 60.7 - Quantity zero. * Relative standard error greater than 30 percent. 1 For women 20-44 years of age. Education is for year of interview. See NOTES below. 2 Data not shown for mothers under 20 years of age because estimates are unreliable. NOTES: Data on breastfeeding during 1970-81 are based on responses to questions in the National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle III, conducted in 1982. Data for 1982-87 are based on the National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle IV, conducted in 1988. Data are based on all births to mothers 15-44 years of age at interview, including those that occurred when they were younger than 15 years of age. SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Vital Statistics. Data from the National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle III 1982 and Cycle IV 1988. Suggested citation: National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 1995. Hyattsville, Maryland: Public Health Service, p 98. 1996. (The NCHS Web site contains instructions to download the AcrobatÆ reader required to view this publication.) About NCHS | News Releases | What's New Publications and Information Products | (CDC) Privacy Policy Notice Coming Events | Data Warehouse | FASTATS A to Z Search | How To... | Other Sites | Employment Frequent Questions | E-mail | Customer Satisfaction Survey Surveys and Data Collection Systems CDC | Text-based Table of Contents [Home button] Updated 11/06/96