+Baby Boys Depart Earlier
Gender Inequity Begins with Infants
It all begins at the beginning. Gender inequities, too, start with sucklings.
In Nigeria, more male children between 0-6 months are exclusively breastfed compared to female children, the United Nations Children Emergency Funds(UNICEF) data on child breastfeeding shows.
Between 2018 and 2021, The proportion of male babies in Nigeria who enjoyed exclusive breastfeeding rose from 29% in 2018 to 36% in 2021. Among their female peers, it rose from 28% in 2018 to 33% in 2019.
Exclusive breastfeeding means that the infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids are given – not even water – except for oral rehydration solution or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals, or medicines.
The World Health Organization recommended that “infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development, and health.’’
However, data on the exclusive breastfeeding pattern of babies between males and females shows that between 2018 and 2021, more male children were exclusively breastfed than females.
Exclusive Breastfeeding helps protect newborns against short- and long-term illnesses and diseases. A well breastfed baby has a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
There are many health benefits for both the mother and infant. Breast milk contains all infant nutrients in the first six months. It protects against diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia.
It also shares antibodies from the mother with her baby. These antibodies help babies develop a robust immune system and protect them from illnesses.
Baby Boys Depart Earlier 😢
Like Men have a lower life expectancy than women, baby boys too have begun to exhibit the gender gap in infant mortality, the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) data has shown
In 2023, the infant mortality ratio among children shows that 60 in 1,000 male children lost their lives before the age of one, while 50 in 1,000 female babies suffer like fate.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the Infant mortality rate as the probability of a child born in a specific year or period dying before reaching the age of one. It is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births.