Births in baby-friendly facilities

What does this indicator tell us?

The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), launched by WHO and UNICEF in 1991, is part of a global effort to protect, promote and support optimal breastfeeding practices. To be designated as "baby-friendly", facilities must implement the Ten steps to successful breastfeeding to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. This indicator reflects the proportion of babies born in facilities that have been designated as baby-friendly.

The indicator "Proportion of births in baby-friendly facilities" is included as a process indicator in the core set of indicators for the Global Nutrition Monitoring Framework.

How is it defined?

This indicator is defined as the proportion of babies born in facilities designated as baby-friendly in a calendar year. To be counted as currently baby-friendly, the facility must have been designated within the past 5 years or have been reassessed within that time frame. Facilities may be designed as baby-friendly if they meet the minimum global criteria, which includes adherence to:

• the Ten steps for successful breastfeeding - these steps include having a breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to staff, having staff trained on policy implementation, informing pregnant women on the benefits and management of breastfeeding, and promoting early initiation of breastfeeding; and
• the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes - the Code restricts the distribution of free infant formula and promotional materials from infant formula companies.

What are the consequences and implications?

Research has found that adherence to BFHI's Ten Steps leads to improved breastfeeding outcomes, which positively impact the health of both the mother and child. The more of the Steps that the mother experiences, the better her success with breastfeeding. Improved breastfeeding practices worldwide could save the lives of over 800 000 children every year.

Source of data

WHO. National implementation of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative 2017. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017 (http://who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/bfhi-national-implementation2017/en/).

Further reading

WHO, UNICEF. Global nutrition targets 2025: breastfeeding policy brief. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014 (http://who.int/nutrition/publications/globaltargets2025_policybrief_breastfeeding/en/).

WHO, UNICEF. Global Nutrition Monitoring Framework: operational guidance for tracking progress in meeting targets for 2025. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017 (http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/operational-guidance-GNMF-indicators/en/).

Internet resources

WHO. Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative. (http://www.who.int/nutrition/bfhi/en/).

WHO. e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA). Implementation of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative. (https://www.who.int/elena/titles/implementation_bfhi/en/).