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Published on: May 6, 2013
Exclusive breastfeeding among women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus
Leandro Cordero1, Michael R Stenger2, Mark B Landon3
1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, N118 Doan Hall, 410 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210-1228, USA. Leandro.cordero@osumc.edu.
Objective:
To compare exclusive breastfeeding (BF) and BF initiation among 185 women with Type 1 and 212 women with Type 2 pregestational diabetes who intended exclusive or partial BF and delivered at ≥34 weeks of gestation.
Methods:
Retrospective cohort study. At discharge, exclusive BF is direct BF or BF complemented with expressed breast milk. BF initiation is defined by exclusive or partial BF.
Results:
Type 1 and Type 2 groups were similar in prior BF experience (69 vs 67%) but were different in intention to BF exclusively (92 vs 78%) and partially (8 vs 22%). Women in the Type 1 group were younger (median age 30 vs 33y), likely to be primiparous (47 vs 25%), have a lower median BMI (32 vs 36 kg/m2) and deliver by primary cesarean (37 vs 26%). Infants born to Type 1 women were more likely to be admitted to the NICU (44 vs 18%) and to have hypoglycemia (59 vs 41%). At discharge, exclusive BF among Type 1 was higher (34 vs 23%), partial BF was similar (47 vs 46%) while FF (formula feeding) was lower (19 vs 31%) than in the Type 2 group. BF initiation occurred in 81% of Type 1 and 69% of Type 2 women.
Conclusion:
Intention to BF exclusively was higher in Type 1 women compared to Type 2. At discharge, exclusive BF and BF initiation were lower and FF higher in the Type 2 group highlighting the need for different strategies if lactation in this special population is to be improved.
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