The Effects of Breastfeeding and Contraception on the Natural Rate of Increase: Are There Compensating Effects?

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Abstract
The prevalence of intentional control of reproduction increases in developing countries in which there is rapid modernization, and there are also important changes in breastfeeding practices. The effects of increased contraception and reduced breastfeeding on the pace and level of fertility and on the patterns and levels of infant and early childhood mortality are in opposite directions. In this paper we propose a technique to estimate the net effects of such changes on the natural rate of increase, and to assess the gross contribution of the various components of change. Applications of the technique to Latin American countries indicate that changes in fertility due to higher contraceptive prevalence are dominant, but that they are partially offset by the indirect effects on fertility of changes in breastfeeding. Likewise, changes in breastfeeding have the strongest direct impact on infant mortality, but are partially offset by the beneficial effects of a more favourable pace of childbearing induced by higher contraceptive prevalence.

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