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[Prevalence of breast feeding in low birth weight infants]
C C Xavier1, S M Jorge, A L Gonçalves
1Departamento de Pediatria da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Insights
Breastfeeding rates for low birth weight (LWB) infants in Brazil were 86.5% initially, dropping significantly by 12 months. Maternal literacy and birth weight influenced breastfeeding duration, highlighting a need for intervention programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Context:
- Study conducted at Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de S. Paulo, Brazil (1985-1986).
- Focus on infants born with low birth weight (LWB), ≤ 2,500 grams.
- Descriptive, longitudinal study design.
Purpose:
- To assess the current status of breastfeeding for LWB infants.
- To determine the incidence and duration of breastfeeding in this population.
- To identify factors associated with breastfeeding patterns.
Summary:
- Initial breastfeeding incidence was 86.5% (192/222 LWB infants).
- Breastfeeding prevalence decreased to 62.5% at 3 months, 38.5% at 6 months, and 25.0% at 12 months.
- Average breastfeeding duration was 4 months; maternal literacy and birth weight were significant factors.
Impact:
- Breastfeeding rates are lower than in developed countries.
- Highlights the need for community and institutional action programs.
- Suggests targeted interventions to improve LWB infant breastfeeding outcomes.
Abstract:
The present situation regarding the breast feeding of children born with a weight of 2,500 grammes or less (LWB) at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Medical School of the Universidade de S. Paulo in Ribeirão Preto (Brazil) was studied. The study was descriptive and the data were obtained through a longitudinal follow-up carried over the period from October 1985 to September 1986 inclusive. Of the 222 children included in the study, 30 (13.5%) infants were not breastfed. Thus the incidence of breast feeding among this population was of 86.5%. At 3 months 62.5% of these infants were still being breastfed. At 6 months this figure fell to 38.5% and only 25.0% were still being breast-fed at the end of 12 months. The average duration of breast feeding for the 192 children that had started it was of 4 months. An association was found between the level of literacy of the mothers and the duration of breast feeding. Birthweight was found to be associated with the incidence and duration of breast feeding in general, as well as with the incidence of exclusive breast feeding. These data are considerably lower than recent figures obtained from the populations of well-developed countries, especially than those of Finnish infants born with a weight of less than 1.500 g. Action programmes involving the community and/or the Institution must be implemented in order to improve these figures.