PDF, 1536K - Measure DHS

11.8 EARLY TERMINATION OF BREASTFEEDING
To gain a better understanding of why mothers stop
breastfeeding their children early, mothers who had stopped
breastfeeding their last child born in the five years before the
survey were asked why they stopped breastfeeding before the
child reached 12 months of age. Table 11.10 shows the
percentage of last-born living children under age five who stopped
breastfeeding early, by background characteristics. Less than 3
percent of children between 1 and 5 years of age stopped
breastfeeding by 12 months of age. A higher proportion of
children age 48-59 months, children of birth order one, urban
children, children residing in Addis Ababa, and children of highly
educated mothers stopped breastfeeding by 12 months of age.
Pregnancy was the most common reason for stopping, mother’s
illness or weakness was the next most common reason, followed
by child’s refusal, and lack of milk (data not shown).
11.9 NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN
The nutritional status of young children is a comprehensive
index that reflects the level and pace of household, community,
and national development. Malnutrition (inadequate nutrition) is
a direct result of insufficient food intake or repeated infectious
diseases or a combination of both. It can result in increased risk
to illness and death and can also result in a lower level of
cognitive development.
In the Ethiopia DHS, anthropometric data on height and
weight were collected from all children under 5 years of age to
evaluate their nutritional status. Their standing height (for
children age 24 months and older) or recumbent length (for
children under age 24 months) was measured using the Shorr
height board. Electronic Seca scales supplied by UNICEF were
used to measure the weight of children. Based on these
measurements, three internationally accepted indices were
constructed and are used to reflect the nutritional status of
children. These are:
• height-for-age
• weight-for-height
• weight-for-age.
Table 11.10 Children who stopped
breastfeeding early
Percentage of last-born living children
age 1-59 months who were ever breastfed
who stopped breastfeeding by 12
months of age, by background
characteristics, Ethiopia 2000
__________________________________
Stopped
breastfeeding
Background
by 12 months
characteristic
of age
__________________________________
Child's age in months
12-23
24-35
36-47
48-59
Sex of child
Male
Female
Birth order
1
2-3
4-5
6+
Residence
Urban
Rural
Region
Tigray
Affar
Amhara
Oromiya
Somali
Benishangul-Gumuz
SNNP
Gambela
Harari
Addis Ababa
Dire Dawa
Education
No education
Primary
Secondary or higher
Mother's age at birth