Authors

Juan Miguel Martínez Galiano

Position

Matrón del Servicio de Paritorio del Complejo Hospitalario Universitario “Ciudad de Jaén”.

Contact email: juanmimartinezg@hotmail.com

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life.

Objectives: to determine the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at four months of life of the newborn; to ascertain the social-cultural profile of mothers who exclusively breastfeed at four months and determine the factors associated with the cessation of exclusive breastfeeding at four months.

Methodology: descriptive and analytic observational study. Probability sampling with consecutive recruitment of cases of mothers with four month old children, during the months of july and august 2008 in the “Ciudad de Jaen” university hospital. A self-elaborated and self-administered questionnaire was used. The dependent variable was exclusive breastfeeding at four months of life of the newborn and the independent variables were grouped into sociodemographic, pregnancy- and labour-related, newborn-related and breastfeeding-related variables.

Results: at four months of life of the newborn 34,6% of mothers only breastfeed versus 51,9% who use formula exclusively. “Not having breast milk” was the reason why 26,47% of mothers quit breastfeeding. The cessation of breastfeeding was significantly higher in women whose labour had been induced (p = 0,037) and in women who had not been informed by their family members (p = 0,041).

Conclusions: the rates of exclusive breastfeeding at four months are far from the WHO’s recommendations. Hypogalactia is the main cause of breastfeeding cessation. Normal delivery and the participation of the family in informing the mother on breastfeeding favour the maintenance of breastfeeding.

Keywords:

breastfeeding; breastfeeding cessation; epidemiology; labour; newborn; pregnancy

Versión en Español

Título:

Factores asociados al abandono de la lactancia materna