Factors associated with initiation and exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge: late preterm compared to 37 week gestation mother and infant cohort

• Main Authors: Ayton Jennifer (Author), Hansen Emily (Author), Quinn Stephen (Author), Nelson Mark (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.1186/1746-4358-7-16; 1746-4358
• Keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding; Initiation; Late preterm; Infant; Pediatrics; RJ1-570; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: International Breastfeeding Journal, Vol 7, Iss 1, p 16 (2012)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To investigate and examine the factors associated with initiation of, and exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge of, late preterm (34 ^0/7 - 36 ^6/7 weeks) compared to 37 week gestation (37 ^0/7 - 37 ^6/7 week) mother and baby pairs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective population-based cohort study using a Perinatal National Minimum Data Set and clinical medical records review, at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania, Australia in 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Late preterm and 37 week gestation infants had low rates of initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, 31 (21.1%) and 61 (41.5%) respectively. After multiple regression analysis, late preterm infants were less likely to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth (OR 0.3 95% CI 0.1, 0.7 p = 0.009) and were less likely to be discharged exclusively breastfeeding from hospital (OR 0.4 95% CI 0.1, 1.0 p = 0.04) compared to 37 week gestation infants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A late preterm birth is predictive of breastfeeding failure, with late preterm infants at greater risk of not initiating breastfeeding and/or exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge, compared with those infants born at 37 weeks gestation. Stratifying breastfeeding outcomes by gestational age groups may help to identify those sub-populations at greatest risk of premature cessation of breastfeeding.</p>