Factors affecting breastfeeding duration in Greece: What is important?

To investigate factors associated with breastfeeding duration (BD) in a sample of mothers living in Greece.

Four hundred and twenty-eight mothers (438 infants) were initially recruited in a tertiary University Hospital. Monthly telephone interviews (1665 in total) using a structured questionnaire (one for each infant) were conducted until the sixth postpartum month. Cox regression analysis was used to assess factors influencing any BD.

Any breastfeeding rates in the first, third, and sixth month of the infant's life reached 87.5%, 57.0% and 38.75%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, maternal smoking in the lactation period [hazard-ratio (HR) = 4.20] and psychological status (HR = 1.72), and the introduction of a pacifier (HR = 2.08), were inversely associated, while higher maternal education (HRuniversity/college vs primary/high school = 0.53, HRmaster's vs primary/high school = 0.20), and being an immigrant (HR = 0.35) were positively associated with BD.

Public health interventions should focus on campaigns against smoking during lactation, target women of lower educational status, and endorse the delayed introduction of pacifiers.