Assessing the effectiveness of policies relating to breastfeeding promotion, protection and support in Vietnam – quantitative data for survey of pregnant women

In Vietnam, aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes has impacted breastfeeding practices, prompting interventions by the Ministry of Health and support from international organizations to improve policies and regulations. Alive & Thrive has been instrumental in strengthening these policies since 2009, focusing on Code strengthening, maternity protection, and health systems, as well as establishing Breastfeeding-Friendly Centers of Excellence. However, a lack of direct evidence on the impact of the BMS Code on breastfeeding practices in Vietnam necessitates further research to understand the effectiveness of these policy interventions and to advocate for stronger enforcement. This study was conducted to examine the potential impact of maternity and child protection policies on breastfeeding practices. This study is a part of a larger mixed method study evaluating effectiveness of policies relating to breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support in Southeast Asia. Refer to the published research protocol and related papers.在越南，母乳代用品（breastmilk substitutes）的强势营销已对母乳喂养实践造成负面影响，促使越南卫生部出台干预举措，并获得国际组织的支持以优化相关政策法规。自2009年起，“茁壮成长行动”（Alive & Thrive）在强化此类政策方面发挥了关键作用，重点推进守则（Code）完善、生育保护与医疗体系建设，并设立了母乳喂养友好卓越中心（Breastfeeding-Friendly Centers of Excellence）。然而，目前尚无关于母乳代用品（breastmilk substitutes, BMS）守则对越南母乳喂养实践影响的直接证据，亟需开展进一步研究以明确此类政策干预措施的实施效果，并呼吁加大执法力度。本研究旨在探究生育与儿童保护政策对母乳喂养实践的潜在影响。本研究属于一项更大规模混合方法研究的组成部分，该研究旨在评估东南亚地区与母乳喂养促进、保护及支持相关的政策实施效果。相关细节可参阅已发表的研究方案及相关论文。