Mothers In Kerala's Village Of Twins Unable To Breastfeed Infants, Needs Special Policy: AIIMS Bhopal Study

Bhopal: Kodinhi, a village in Kerala's Malappuram district, is known worldwide for its exceptionally high rate of twin births. Ever since this Village of Twins came into the national spotlight, it even launched an annual festival to celebrate its specialty.

But now, the village is also associated with a serious maternal health challenge. Research conducted by AIIMS Bhopal has revealed that due to the high number of twin births, most mothers in the village are unable to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first six months.

A Heavy Burden On Mothers

The doctors from AIIMS Bhopal who conducted the research explained that Kodinhi village is home to approximately 2,000 families, where more than 550 sets of twins have been born so far. Twins of all ages, from newborns to 65-year-olds, can be easily found in this village. Even one school in the village has nearly 80 sets of twins. This village has been a center of attraction for scientists and researchers for years.

This study, conducted by Dr Geeta Bhardwaj, Assistant Professor at AIIMS Bhopal, revealed that only 4 per cent of mothers in the village are able to exclusively breastfeed their children over their first six months. Dr M V Smita from AIIMS Bhubaneswar was a co-researcher in this study.

According to the research, about 70 per cent of mothers reported experiencing extreme physical and mental fatigue due to caring for twins. Due to a lack of extra energy and nutrition, they are unable to breastfeed regularly.

Situation Contrary To WHO Guidelines

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life. However, in Kodinhi village, most mothers start giving supplementary foods before six months. In many cases, mixed feeding continues until 18 months, which is considered missed exclusive breastfeeding.

Need For Special Health Policy

Dr Madhavanand Kar, Director of AIIMS Bhopal, stated that according to estimates from 2008, there were 280 pairs of twins in Kodinhi village, and this number is continuously increasing. Most of the twins are under 15 years old. The research findings suggest that there is an urgent need for special nutrition, health support, and breastfeeding support programmes for mothers in this unique village.

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