Comparison of effects of breast-feeding practices on birth-spacing in three societies: nomadic Turkana, Gainj, and Quechua.
J Biosoc Sci
; 26(1): 69-90, 1994 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8200881
ABSTRACT
PIP: Between July 1989 and late February 1990. an anthropologist observed breast feeding patterns of 24 mother-infant pairs of the nomadic Ngisonyoka Turkana in Kenya to determine suckling frequency and intensity and their effect on the duration of lactational amenorrhea and the length of the birth interval. She compared her results with those of studies of the Gainj of Papua New Guinea and of the Quechua Indians of Peru, studies which used the same unite of analysis as the Turkana study. Prolonged lactation and frequent, on-demand ruled in each group. Turkana infants suckled all day and night, with each nursing period being 1-2 minutes long and with 10-15 minutes between each period. The Gainj also had prolonged lactation and similar nursing sessions. On the other hand, the Quechua clumped their breast feeding sessions, which were longer than those of both the Turkana and the Gainj. Turkana birth intervals were shorter than those of Gainj (29 vs. 44.3 months). Turkana women also had a higher fertility rate than did the Gainj (6.5 vs. 4 live births). Suckling activity fell considerably as age increased for Gainj and Quechua infants, but not for Turkana infants. Early introduction of butterfat from goats' and camels' milk during the first few weeks after birth and the daily difference in amount of suckling during the lactational period due to variable maternal work schedules (based on the labor demand of the pastoral system of the Turkana) reduced the effect of age. In conclusion, differences in the length and pattern of breast feeding practices account for much of the interpopulation variation in fertility.
Palavras-chave
Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Americas; Anthropology; Anthropology, Cultural; Biology; Birth Intervals; Breast Feeding; Comparative Studies; Cross-cultural Comparisons; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Diet; Eastern Africa; English Speaking Africa; Fertility; Fertility Measurements; Health; Indigenous Population; Infant Nutrition; Kenya; Lactation; Latin America; Lipids; Maternal Physiology; Melanesia; Migrants; Migration; Nomads--women; Nutrition; Oceania; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Physiology; Population; Population Characteristics; Population Dynamics; Postpartum Amenorrhea; Prospective Studies; Puerperium; Reproduction; Research Methodology; Research Report; Social Sciences; South America; Studies; Supplementary Feeding
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Migrantes
/
Intervalo entre Nascimentos
/
Aleitamento Materno
/
Indígenas Sul-Americanos
/
Comparação Transcultural
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Newborn
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
/
America do sul
/
Peru
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Biosoc Sci
Ano de publicação:
1994
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de publicação:
Reino Unido