Early initiation of breastfeeding in India
India: Early initiation of breastfeeding was 41.42 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
41.42
Change on year
down 26.8%
World rank
45th
of 56 countries
All-time high
56.6
in 2017
All-time low
15.9
in 1999
Years of data
5
1999–2020
Early initiation of breastfeeding in India, 1999–2020
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for early initiation of breastfeeding in India is 41.42, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 26.8% on the previous year and up 79.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, early initiation of breastfeeding in India peaked at 56.6 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 15.9, in 1999.
India ranks 45th of 56 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Early initiation of breastfeeding in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 15.9 | — |
| 2006 | 23.14 | +45.5% |
| 2015 | 41.5 | +79.3% |
| 2017 | 56.6 | +36.4% |
| 2020 | 41.42 | -26.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.9 | 15.9 | 15.9 | 1 |
| 2000s | 23.14 | 23.14 | 23.14 | 1 |
| 2010s | 49.05 | 41.5 | 56.6 | 2 |
| 2020s | 41.42 | 41.42 | 41.42 | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
- 42 Lao People's Democratic Republic 44.87 compare
- 43 Côte d'Ivoire 42.33 compare
- 44 Dominican Republic 41.58 compare
- 46 Senegal 38.14 compare
- 47 Bangladesh 36.93 compare
- 48 Nigeria 35.53 compare
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,332 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 44,822 (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.7713 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.116 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.9514 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1259 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is early initiation of breastfeeding in India?
- Early initiation of breastfeeding in India was 41.42 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest early initiation of breastfeeding recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.6 in 2017.
- What is the lowest early initiation of breastfeeding recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.9 in 1999.
- How does India rank for early initiation of breastfeeding?
- India ranks 45th out of 56 countries with data for 2020.
- Is early initiation of breastfeeding rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 79.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Early initiation of breastfeeding. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).