Breastfeeding Duration and Exclusivity Among Early-Term and Full-Term Infants: A Cohort Study
Michele Galvão da Silva1, Rita Mattiello2, Bianca Del Ponte3
1Postgraduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Insights
Early-term infants (37-38 weeks) show similar exclusive breastfeeding rates at 3 months compared to full-term infants. However, they have a higher risk of stopping breastfeeding by 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Early-term infants (37-38 weeks gestation) face increased risks for adverse outcomes.
- Shorter breastfeeding duration is a noted concern for early-term infants compared to full-term infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare breastfeeding rates at 3 and 12 months between early-term and full-term infants.
- To assess the risk of early cessation of breastfeeding in early-term infants.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two population-based birth cohorts in Pelotas, Brazil.
- Comparison of early-term infants (37-38 weeks) with full-term infants (39-41 weeks).
- Breastfeeding data collected via maternal interviews at 3 and 12 months; statistical analysis using Poisson regression.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months between early-term and full-term infants.
- Early-term infants had a significantly lower prevalence of any breastfeeding at 12 months (38.2% vs. 42.4%).
- Adjusted analysis revealed a 15% lower prevalence ratio for any breastfeeding at 12 months in early-term infants.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding rates at 3 months are comparable between early-term and full-term infants.
- Early-term infants are at a higher risk of being weaned before 12 months of age.
- Findings highlight the need for continued breastfeeding support for early-term infants.
Background:
As compared to full-term infants (39-41 weeks of gestation), early-term infants (37-38 wk) are at increased risk of adverse outcomes, including shorter exclusive breastfeeding (EB) duration and continued breastfeeding.
Objectives:
To compare early-term with full- and late-term infants regarding the prevalence of EB at 3 mo and any breastfeeding at 12 mo.
Methods:
Data sets from two population-based birth cohorts conducted in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, were combined. Only term infants (37 0/7 through 41 6/7 weeks of gestation) were included in the analyses. Early-term infants (37 0/7 through 38 6/7 wk) were compared to the remaining term infants (39 0/7 through 41 6/7 wk). Information on breastfeeding was gathered through maternal interviews at the 3-mo and 12-mo follow-ups. The prevalence of EB at 3 mo and any breastfeeding at 12 mo with 95% CIs were calculated. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) were obtained through Poisson regression.
Results:
A total of 6395 infants with information on gestational age and EB at 3 mo and 6401 infants with information on gestational age and any breastfeeding at 12 mo were analyzed. There was no difference between early-term infants and the remaining term infants regarding the prevalence of EB at 3 mo (29.2% and 27.9%, respectively) (P = 0.248). Prevalence of any breastfeeding at 12 mo was lower in early-term infants than among those born between 39 0/7 and 41 6/7 weeks of gestation (38.2% compared with 42.4%) (P = 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, the PR for any breastfeeding at 12 mo was 15% lower in the early-term group than in the remaining term infants (PR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76-0.95) (P = 0.004).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of EB at 3 mo was similar among term infants. Nonetheless, in comparison with the remaining infants born at term, early-term infants were at increased risk of having been weaned before reaching 12 mo of age. Curr Dev Nutr 2023;xx:xx.
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