世界衛生組織(WHO)與聯合國兒童基金會(UNICEF)自1991年開始推展愛嬰醫院活動(Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, BFHI),鼓勵產科機構執行成功母乳哺育十措施,支持母乳哺育,維護母親與嬰兒的健康。台灣國民健康署自2001年以十措施為原則,下修其基準,開始推動全國性母嬰親善醫院認證計畫迄今,參與認證的家數以及全國母乳哺育率在最初十幾年逐年增加。然而因為醫療人員能力及人力的不足,及相關資源的缺乏,無法完全落實對母親及嬰兒餵食的支持及協助,造成醫療端以及民眾端的反彈,參加的家數以及哺乳率開始微幅下降。WHO及UNICEF於2018年更新BFHI執行指導,呼籲各國政府持續宣導相關政策之外,應提供足夠人力物力資源,以及整合BFHI與生產及週產期相關照護品質提升計畫,並加強醫療工作人員的養成教育以及能力驗證,以提供更有品質的母嬰照護,達成最適當的嬰兒餵食方式。台灣也在2021年進行第一次國際愛嬰醫院認證,期待能持續改善母嬰照護品質。
Breastfeeding is crucial for maternal and infant health. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in 1991, for encouraging maternal facilities to implement Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and support mothers breastfeeding. Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan established a national Mother-Baby Friendly Institute program in 2001, based on the Ten steps but implemented with standards that did not completely meet BFHI standards. The number of designated facilities and the national breastfeeding rate have increased in the first 12 years but declined after then, which might be due to the lack of sustained medical personnel capacity and manpower, and the lack of related resources. WHO and UNICEF updated the BFHI implementation guidance in 2018, calling on governments to publicize relevant policies, provide sufficient human and financial resources, integrate BFHI with mother-friendly childbirth and other quality improvement programs for perinatal care, enforce the education about infant feeding and breastfeeding in pre-service education for health professionals and ensure their competencies in implementing BFHI. With all these strategies, the facilities may improve their maternal and newborn care quality for achieving the optimal infant feeding method. The BFHI designation program based on WHO 2009 guidance was launched in 2021 to improve the quality of mother-infant care.