Lactation Support Services and Breastfeeding Initiation: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Despite substantial evidence of the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and children, rates of sustained breastfeeding in the United States are quite low. This study examined whether mandated coverage of lactation support services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affects breastfeeding behavior.

Data source

We studied the census of U.S. births included in the National Vital Statistics System from 2009 to 2014.

Study design

We used regression-adjusted difference-in-differences (DD) to examine changes in breastfeeding rates for privately insured mothers relative to those covered by Medicaid. We adjusted for several health and sociodemographic measures. We also examined the extent to which the effect varied across vulnerable populations-by race/ethnici

SUBMITTER: Kapinos KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5682156 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature