Breast-feeding programs and lactational amenorrhea: evaluation using eventhistory analysis

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach toward evaluating the e ffectiveness of breast feeding programs in relation to their impact on the duration of post partum amenorrhea. The current emphasis on improving repro ductive health through family planning services is likely to increase the u se of LAM as a birth spacing method. As a result, evaluation of the net imp act of breast feeding duration on the length of post partum amenorrhea is e ssential for designing an effective family planning program. We present eve nt history analysis as an useful tool in evaluating the effectiveness breas t feeding programs on post partum amenorrhea. Data from NFH survey (India) of the State of Rajasthan are used to illustrate the event history approach toward outcome evaluation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reser ved.