Influence of abuse and disrespect during childbirth on early initiation of breastfeeding

An increasing trend among women and professionals is recognizing the existence of abuse and disrespect by professionals toward women during childbirth. The promotion of breastfeeding is a priority objective, and few studies address the relationship between this mistreatment during birth and its impact on breastfeeding rates. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between abusive treatment and the disrespect that women receive from professionals during childbirth with the early initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding on hospital discharge.

A cross-sectional observational study conducted in Spain with women who had become mothers in 2022. The data were obtained through an online questionnaire distributed via women's associations in which breastfeeding rates in the first hour of life and upon hospital discharge were included as dependent variables, and sociodemographic, obstetric, breastfeeding variables, and abuse and lack of respect during childbirth were included as independent variables. Crude Odds Ratio (OR) and adjusted (aOR) were calculated with their respective 95% CI.

2048 women participated. The perception of abuse and disrespect, expressed as higher scores on the CARE-MQ scale, showed a lower probability of breastfeeding in the first hour of life by 0.69 to 0.43 (percentile 50-74 aOR:0.69; 95% CI:0.49, 0.97; p74-89 aOR:0.59; 95% CI:0.39, 0.87; p > 90 aOR:0.43; 95% CI:0.32, 0.76). Attending more than 5 prenatal education sessions, skin-to-skin contact, and previous breastfeeding experience increase the probability of early initiation of breastfeeding and maintaining it when the woman is discharged from the hospital.

Women who perceive more abuse and disrespect from professionals during childbirth are less likely to initiate breastfeeding early; however, this relationship is not observed when assessing breastfeeding at hospital discharge.