Effects of Prenatal Breastfeeding Education on Breastfeeding Duration Beyond 12 Weeks: A Systematic Review
Megan K Oggero1,2, Cathy L Rozmus1, Geri LoBiondo-Wood1
1Cizik School of Nursing, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
Prenatal breastfeeding education boosts breastfeeding duration when it includes psychological coping strategies or in-person postpartum support. This is crucial for meeting public health breastfeeding goals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Breastfeeding rates in the US are below Healthy People 2030 targets, with significant health risks associated with shorter durations.
- Suboptimal breastfeeding increases risks for childhood leukemia and maternal Type 2 diabetes.
- Prenatal education can enhance breastfeeding self-efficacy and coping skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review interventions aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration.
- To identify characteristics of prenatal breastfeeding education that effectively prolong breastfeeding duration.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
- Utilized the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) framework.
- Included 21 studies examining prenatal breastfeeding education and duration at least 12 weeks postpartum.
Main Results:
- Prenatal breastfeeding education is more effective in increasing breastfeeding duration when it integrates psychological components, such as coping planning (HAPA).
- Interventions combined with in-person postpartum breastfeeding support also demonstrated increased breastfeeding duration.
- The specific psychological components and their impact on diverse populations require further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Integrating psychological strategies and postpartum support into prenatal breastfeeding education can enhance breastfeeding duration.
- Further research is needed to explore the role of psychological components in diverse populations.
- Optimizing prenatal education is key to improving public health breastfeeding outcomes.
Abstract:
The proportion of infants in the United States who are breastfed at 1 year remains well below the Healthy People 2030 target. The health implications of suboptimal breastfeeding durations are significant, including increased risk of childhood leukemia and maternal Type 2 diabetes. Prenatal breastfeeding education provides an opportunity to improve breastfeeding self-efficacy among pregnant individuals and to establish their coping skills in case future breastfeeding problems arise. Although prenatal breastfeeding education is known to improve breastfeeding self-efficacy, characteristics of prenatal breastfeeding education interventions that are successful at increasing breastfeeding duration have not been well defined. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Health Action Process Approach, we conducted a systematic review of the literature examining the impact of prenatal breastfeeding education interventions on breastfeeding duration measured at least 12 weeks postpartum. Twenty-one studies were identified. Prenatal breastfeeding education was most likely to increase breastfeeding duration when education interventions integrated psychological components (Health Action Process Approach coping planning) or were paired with in-person postpartum breastfeeding support. Additional research is needed to examine the role of psychological components in breastfeeding education interventions in diverse populations and to determine the specific psychological intervention components with the greatest impact on breastfeeding duration.
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