Levels and Determinants of Breastfeeding Myths Among Pregnant Women and Their Spouses in Turkey: A Comparative Study

Breastfeeding myths negatively affect breastfeeding initiation, duration, and maternal confidence. While literature extensively covers maternal attitudes, few studies simultaneously examine the prevalence of these myths among pregnant women and their spouses, despite the spouses' critical role in breastfeeding outcomes.

This study aimed to examine and compare the levels of belief in breastfeeding myths among pregnant women and their spouses, and to determine the factors associated with these myths.

This descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study included 616 participants (308 pregnant women and their spouses) via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form and the Breastfeeding Myths Scale, and analyzed via descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple linear regression.

Spouses had significantly higher breastfeeding myth scores than pregnant women. Myths were more common among participants with low education and income levels. Among pregnant women, higher myth scores were associated with unemployment, lack of children, no breastfeeding education, and daily social media use exceeding 5 hours. Younger age and longer prior breastfeeding duration were also linked to greater myth prevalence.

The results of this study indicate that efforts to dispel breastfeeding myths must focus more heavily on spouses and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Actively involving not only expectant mothers but also their partners-who are more prone to believing breastfeeding myths-in childbirth preparation and breastfeeding education may help reduce these misconceptions. Furthermore, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to be aware of culturally prevalent breastfeeding myths and to guide individuals toward reliable sources of information.