Maternal Risk Factors for Lactation Mastitis: A Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Lactation and Breastfeeding Research
• Public Health and Epidemiology

Background:

• Lactational mastitis is a common concern for breastfeeding mothers, potentially impacting infant nutrition and maternal well-being.
• Identifying specific maternal risk factors is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis identifying significant maternal risk factors associated with lactational mastitis.
• To inform the development of evidence-based nursing care protocols for mastitis prevention.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across multiple databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, CNKI, WANFANG, VIP) for relevant studies.
• Inclusion of cohort and case-control studies published in English or Chinese.
• Meta-analysis using a random-effects model to pool data and assess heterogeneity (I² tests).
• Quality assessment of included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Main Results:

• Significant risk factors identified include: previous mastitis, cesarean section, breast trauma, anemia, latch problems (≤ 8 weeks postpartum), milk overproduction, blocked duct, cracked nipple (especially ≤ 4 weeks postpartum), use of nipple shields, nipple cream, brassieres, and breast pumps.
• Breastfeed duration > 30 minutes was also a significant risk factor.
• Washing nipples before breastfeeding was found to decrease the risk of lactational mastitis.

Conclusions:

• Several maternal and infant-related factors significantly increase the risk of developing lactational mastitis.
• Proactive identification and management of these risk factors are essential for effective prevention.
• Findings support the development of targeted nursing interventions and educational programs to reduce mastitis incidence.