Rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration in the United States: data insights from the 2016-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

Introduction: While breastfeeding rates in the United States have been increasing, they remain low by international standards with substantial racial, income and education disparities. This study uses recent population-based data to analyze sociodemographic differences in breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exposure to information and education.

Methods: We used the 2016-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to compare breastfeeding duration among a representative population from 43 states and the District of Columbia.