The APHA Breastfeeding Forum is issuing this CALL for Abstracts for the 2026 APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.

Please limit your abstract to 300 words.

PLEASE NOTE:

• You do not need to be a member at the time of submission. However, if your abstract is accepted, then you MUST become a member.
• ALL presenters MUST be members of APHA at the time of the Annual Meeting.
• Priority will be given to submissions that focus on social and ethical challenges.

TOPICS FOR THE 2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION

• Health across the lifespan: Policies, physiology, and clinical practices that protect, enable, and support breastfeeding and human lactation in the United States
  
• Supporting breastfeeding and lactation among families experiencing health related social needs
  
• The community has the answers: Supporting breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and human milk feeding in communities that have been historically and purposively marginalized
  

NOTE ABOUT TOPICS

We welcome abstracts and submissions focused on any aspect related to lactation, breastfeeding, chestfeeding, human milk feeding, human milk expression, and donor human milk. However, we will not review abstracts related to breastfeeding initiation, alone, unless the research is truly novel. Work that discusses "risk factors" without considering the broader structural and institutional determinants of health will also receive low priority. Submissions are expected to present a public and/or population health perspective. Highest priority will be given to research that adds to the evidence supporting strategies and practices facilitating the successful and continued provision of human milk to infants and toddlers from birth through age two. 

Abstract Review

Abstracts submitted will undergo blind peer review. Abstracts that receive the highest scores are then arranged into sessions based on the program plan for that year. Reviewers assess abstracts based on the following characteristics: 

Each year, the Breastfeeding Forum recognizes two submitted abstracts with an award:

(1) The Highest Scoring Abstract;

(2) The Highest Scoring Student Abstract.

Novelty

The Breastfeeding Forum prioritizes abstracts that provide evidence to support breastfeeding duration, not merely initiation. If your abstract describes a breastfeeding promotion intervention, please ensure your abstract describes whether and the extent to which the intervention supports breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of an infant's life. 

In addition, the Breastfeeding Forum aims to provide a platform for sharing community-engaged strategies and practices to support the provision of human milk among communities and populations at highest risk of early breastfeeding cessation. If you have novel, innovative evidence to share but are unsure about how to present it in a scientific abstract, please contact the program planner as early as possible for guidance. 

Abstract authors are strongly encouraged to conduct a literature search to ensure that their submission makes a novel contribution to the field of breastfeeding research. It must be clear to reviewers that the abstract makes a unique and innovative contribution to the science of breastfeeding continuation. 

Low Priority Abstracts
Abstracts that discuss other issues related to breastfeeding are welcomed, but they may receive lower priority in the peer-review process. It is important to note that the following types of abstracts will not be considered for oral presentation:

Abstracts which lack novelty (topic, methods, and/or results) will receive low priority.

Continuing Education
APHA values the ability to provide continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, health educators, and those certified in public health at its annual meeting. 

Complete all required information when submitting an abstract so members can claim credit for attending your session. These credits are necessary for members to keep their licenses and credentials. For a session to be eligible for Continuing Education Credit, each presenter, panelist, discussant, and/or faculty must provide:

(1)  An abstract free of trade and/or commercial product names.

(2)  At least one MEASURABLE SINGLE objective (“to understand” or “to learn” are not measurable objectives and compound objectives are not acceptable). Use ONLY the following Measurable Action Verbs: Explain, Demonstrate, Analyze, Formulate, Discuss, Compare, Differentiate, Describe, Name, Assess, Evaluate, Identify, Design, Define or List. 

(3)  You MUST complete a signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form with a relevant qualification statement.

Example of Acceptable Biographical Qualification Statement: I have been the principal or co-principal investigator for multiple federally funded grants focusing on factors that influence breastfeeding duration, infant nutrition, and support for postpartum families. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for supporting breastfeeding in rural communities.

Example of UNACCEPTABLE Qualification Statement: Please note that stating “I am a Principal Investigator/Project Coordinator of this project.” is NOT sufficient. This only gives submitter's job title or position. Please add more information about your experience and background.

All continuing education learning content must be of sound science or professional practice and serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills and professional competence of the health professional. Learning content should be evidence-based if available. A list of over 30 areas will be provided online for you to choose from. You will be asked to choose at least one or up to 6 areas that your presentation will address.

Suggested Dos and Don'ts:

Questions
If you have any questions about this call or the identified priority areas, please contact Dr. Diana Cassar-Uhl, the scientific program planner for the Breastfeeding Forum:

DianaIBCLC@gmail.com

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Diana Cassar-Uhl, PhD, MPH, IBCLC
DianaIBCLC@gmail.com