Comparing New CDC Breastfeeding Rates to Healthy People 2030 Breastfeeding Targets

In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new breastfeeding data from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child). The data capture the breastfeeding rates of infants born in the United States in 2021. CDC uses data from the NIS-Child to understand rates of breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity across time. This data is also used to monitor progress toward the nation’s breastfeeding targets, as outlined in Healthy People 2030 (HP2030). 

• Access the new breastfeeding rates and compare them to data from previous years
  
• View the new breastfeeding rates by state
  
• View the new breastfeeding by demographic data
  

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Immunization Survey - Child (NIS-Child), Breastfeeding Results

Highlights:

• 84.1% of infants started out breastfeeding in 2021.
• National breastfeeding rates at 6 months and 12 months reveal a 15.2% and a 14.6% gap for achieving Healthy People 2030 targets. Among infants born in 2021:
  • 27.2% were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months of age. 
    • The Healthy People 2030 objective MICH-15 has a target of 42.4% of infants exclusively breastfeeding at six months of age.
  • 39.5% were still breastfeeding at 12 months.
    • The Healthy People 2030 objective MICH-16 has a target of 54.1% of infants breastfeeding at one year of age.
• Rates of any breastfeeding at 6 months range from 51.7% to 73.9% across racial and ethnic groups.
  • Non-Hispanic Asians have the highest rate of any breastfeeding at 73.9%.
• Breastfeeding initiation rates vary from 93.7% to 68% across states.
  • Oregon (93.7%), Hawaii (93.2%), and Vermont (92.9%) have the highest rates of breastfeeding initiation.
• Exclusive breastfeeding rates at 3 months vary from 60.7% to 36.5% across states.
  • Alaska (60.7%), Oregon (59.1%), and Vermont (57.1%) have the highest rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months.

These new NIS-Child breastfeeding rates are based on data collected on 2021 U.S. births. This notably includes births during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which significant maternal and neonatal clinical changes occurred as well as pandemic-related work and lifestyle changes that should be considered when analyzing breastfeeding rates.

How You Can Support Breastfeeding

You can join the movement to create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States and improve rates by urging Congress to…

• increase funding for breastfeeding in the FY25 federal budget
• create a comprehensive and inclusive national paid family and medical leave program by passing the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act
• extend workplace protections to all lactating employees by passing the Air PUMP Act

Visit our Take Action webpage for more opportunities to get involved.