Breast-feeding and contraception in Peru

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Demography

Background:

• Breastfeeding is a critical component of infant nutrition and maternal health.
• Contraceptive use during the postpartum period is essential for family planning and birth spacing.
• The interplay between breastfeeding duration and contraceptive method choice requires further understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between breastfeeding duration and concurrent contraceptive use in Peruvian women.
• To identify specific contraceptive methods associated with shorter or longer breastfeeding durations.
• To analyze contraceptive method switching patterns and their impact on breastfeeding duration.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study utilizing data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Peru (1986-1992).
• Analysis of breastfeeding duration and contraceptive use among 5,648 women who gave birth to 7,951 infants.
• Statistical control for other predictors of breastfeeding duration.

Main Results:

• 95% of infants were breastfed; 44% of mothers used contraception concurrently.
• Mothers using oral contraception breastfed for significantly shorter durations compared to other methods.
• Mothers using periodic abstinence or withdrawal breastfed longer (15.5 and 15.3 months, respectively) than non-contraceptors or users of other methods.
• Women switching to abstinence or withdrawal during breastfeeding breastfed the longest (18 months).

Conclusions:

• Contraceptive method choice significantly influences breastfeeding duration in the Peruvian context.
• Periodic abstinence and withdrawal were unexpectedly associated with longer breastfeeding durations.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind these observed associations in Peru and potentially other regions.