[Breastfeeding: opinion and knowledge of pharmacists. A study in a semi-urban territory]

Because of the French delay regarding breastfeeding compared to other Europeans countries, its promotion was one of the 9 specific nutritional goals of the 2001, 2006, and 2011 National Nutritional Health Program. The objective of this study was to establish the opinion and knowledge of pharmacists from a selected semi-urban territory of the Lille metropolitan area on breastfeeding.

The 33 pharmacies around the city of Villeneuve-d'Ascq were contacted. First, the goal and the principles of the study were presented to the pharmacists and they were invited to participate in a survey. This survey was divided into 6 topics with 26 questions. The topics were: advice on breastfeeding, pain and inflammation during breastfeeding, use of a breast pump, preservation and reheating of breast milk, breastfeeding and medication, breastfeeding and contraception, and breastfeeding promotion. The survey also evaluated their willingness to promote breastfeeding and the assistance needed for undertaking this promotion. By counting the right answers from 13 of the 26 questions, a global grade was calculated reflecting the knowledge of the participants. The maximum grade was 20 because many questions had several correct answers.

Twenty-nine pharmacies agreed to participate (participation rate, 88%). The mean grade was 13.4 (95% CI: 12.7-14.0). Professional and personal experience had no influence on the grades. In the opinion of the pharmacists, the 3 topics most frequently raised by women were cracked nipples, mastitis, and painful breast (quoted by 83% of the pharmacists), the infant formula to use as a complete or partial substitute for breastfeeding (66%), and breastfeeding and medication (59%). Fifty-five percent of the participants were aware of the WHO recommendations on exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age. The desire to promote breastfeeding was strong (68%). Thus, all pharmacists favored the distribution of a leaflet giving information on breastfeeding.

This study shows a strong desire to promote breastfeeding among the pharmacists surveyed. It allows focusing on the themes that could be the target for continuing education, based on mothers' needs.