Introducing the Mother Infant Lactation Questionnaire (MILQ): A Patient-reported Outcome Measure

Outcomes data regarding breastfeeding ability following benign breast surgery are limited. We present the Mother Infant Lactation Questionnaire (MILQ, pronounced "milk"), a patient-reported outcome measure to assess breastfeeding satisfaction, challenges, and deficit areas.

Women aged 18-45 years and 6 months to 5 years postpartum completed the MILQ from 2019 to 2023. Associations between categorical variables (demographics, feeding method, breastfeeding duration, physical symptoms, psychological conditions) were examined using Pearson χ². Odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and P values were calculated (statistical significance: P < 0.05). Breastfeeding duration was dichotomized into longer than 6 months and 6 months or less.

A total of 323 mothers participated, with a mean age of 34.8 ±5.5 years; 15.7% had undergone prior breast surgery. Mothers who breastfed/pumped for 6 months or less were 1240% more likely to not meet breastfeeding goals (OR: 13.4; 95% CI: 7.23-25.0; P < 0.001). Women who breastfed/pumped for longer than 6 months were nearly 400% more likely to be satisfied with their ability to nourish their infant (OR: 4.91; 95% CI: 2.73-8.83; P < 0.001). Physical challenges while breastfeeding/pumping did not significantly impact meeting goals or predict early cessation (P > 0.05, all). Although 96.3% (n = 311) experienced psychological symptoms in the first postpartum year, breastfeeding/pumping duration was not associated (P > 0.05, all).

The MILQ enables comprehensive assessment of breastfeeding/lactation performance. Although longer breastfeeding duration predicted satisfaction with infant nourishment and meeting goals, further study can elucidate deficit areas for a targeted approach to education and intervention to support mothers.