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CDC Report says Most Hospitals Could Do More to Support Breastfeeding

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A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report says a majority of U. S. hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding with their practices for new moms. There’s been improvement according to CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, but the progress has been really slow in getting hospitals to adopt practices that support breastfeeding.

Dr. Frieden says only 14% of hospitals have a written model policy, including helping mothers initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth, having infants room with their mothers, not giving newborns formula feedings unless medically indicated and offering follow up support.  He says less than half of U. S.  babies are breastfed at all during the first six months of life. Only 15% of mothers breastfeed exclusively for six months.

Dr. Frieden says breastfeeding lowers the risk for infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, diabetes and obesity for the child.  As a result, he says breastfeeding results in lower health care costs. He says there are also health benefits for the mother, by lowering the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

It’s estimated that the failure to promote breastfeeding may cost the country’s health care system 2.2 billion dollars every year in health care costs alone.

Dr. Frieden says if the United States does not accelerate the current slow improvement in practices, most of the next few generations will be born in hospitals that don’t effectively support women who want to breast feed. 

Colon Cancer Rates in United States Fall as Screenings Rise

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Prevention efforts are having an impact on the second most deadly cancer in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says colon cancer deaths are down and more progress is possible.   

CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden says colon cancer rates have decreased by more than 10% over the past five years.  The Vital Signs report, which looked specifically at the rate of deaths between 2003 and 2007, shows a more than 2% drop nationally.

Between 2002 and 2010, the rate of screenings increased by 13%. But the report says 1 in 3 people between the ages of 50 and 75 are still not up to date with the recommended screening. Dr. Frieden says as more doctors are clearer with their patients about the importance of screening , that will make a big impact on patients.  He says the strongest risk factor for not being screened, is not being told to be screened by your doctor.

Dr. Frieden says you should be screened if you are between the ages of 50 or 75, or if you have a strong family history of the disease.   Screenings include annual fecal occult blood tests done at home, a flexible sigmoidoscopy done every five years,  or a colonoscopy done every 10 years.

Dr. Frieden says he has a strong family history of colorectal cancer  and was first screened with a colonoscopy at age 40. He says his first screening was normal, but during the next screening at age 50, four polyps were found.  All were removed before they became cancerous.

Dr. Frieden says colon cancer screening can save your life, and more and more Americans are taking advantage  of the screening.

The full report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/