Potential economic impacts from improving breastfeeding rates in the UK

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood 2015-04, Vol.100 (4), p.334-340
• Main Authors: Pokhrel, S, Quigley, M A, Fox-Rushby, J, McCormick, F, Williams, A, Trueman, P, Dodds, R, Renfrew, M J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Babies; Breast cancer; Breast feeding; Breast Feeding - economics; Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cancer; Child Health; Childrens health; Company business management; Control; Cost control; Cost of Illness; Cost Savings; Ear diseases; Economic analysis; Economic impact; Economic Research; Economics; Evidence; Female; Females; Health aspects; Health care costs; Health care expenditures; Health Policy - economics; Health services; Humans; Illnesses; Infectious diseases; Management; Medical care, Cost of; Mothers; Obesity; Primary Prevention - economics; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Respiratory tract; Sensitivity analysis; State Medicine - economics; United Kingdom; Women; Women's health; Womens health; Young Children
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2014-306701

Rationale Studies suggest that increased breastfeeding rates can provide substantial financial savings, but the scale of such savings in the UK is not known. Objective To calculate potential cost savings attributable to increases in breastfeeding rates from the National Health Service perspective. Design and settings Cost savings focussed on where evidence of health benefit is strongest: reductions in gastrointestinal and lower respiratory tract infections, acute otitis media in infants, necrotising enterocolitis in preterm babies and breast cancer (BC) in women. Savings were estimated using a seven-step framework in which an incidence-based disease model determined the number of cases that could have been avoided if breastfeeding rates were increased. Point estimates of cost savings were subject to a deterministic sensitivity analysis. Results Treating the four acute diseases in children costs the UK at least £89 million annually. The 2009–2010 value of lifetime costs of treating maternal BC is estimated at £959 million. Supporting mothers who are exclusively breast feeding at 1 week to continue breast feeding until 4 months can be expected to reduce the incidence of three childhood infectious diseases and save at least £11 million annually. Doubling the proportion of mothers currently breast feeding for 7–18 months in their lifetime is likely to reduce the incidence of maternal BC and save at least £31 million at 2009–2010 value. Conclusions The economic impact of low breastfeeding rates is substantial. Investing in services that support women who want to breast feed for longer is potentially cost saving.