Published online Mar 9, 2024. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v13.i1.87713
Peer-review started: August 23, 2023
First decision: September 19, 2023
Revised: November 10, 2023
Accepted: December 28, 2023
Article in press: December 28, 2023
Published online: March 9, 2024
Maintenance rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) worldwide are low, thus, one of the objectives of the summary of policies on breastfeeding (BF) in world nutrition goals for 2025 are that at least 50% of infants under six months of age receive EBF that year. The Objective of this study is to document the rates of EBF in children born in San Ignacio University Hospital (HUSI) and identify factors associated with maintenance.
To document the percentages of EBF in those that were born at HUSI and identify factors associated to their maintenance.
This is a study of cases and controls in an analytic, retrospective cohort that took children born alive between January 2016 and January 2019 at HUSI located in the city of Bogotá, Colombia.
Receiving information about BF at HUSI was able to maintain EBF up until 4 mo (OR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.02-2.66). The presence of gynecologic and obstetric comorbidities (OR = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.12-0.83), having mastitis (OR = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.33-0.94), and receiving information from mass media (OR = 0.52; 95%CI: 0.31-0.84) are factors associated with not maintaining EBF.
Receiving education at a Women- and Child-Friendly Institution was the only significant factor to achieve EBF until 4 mo, with a frequency greater than the one reported in the country, which matches multiple studies where counseling and individualized support on BF achieve this purpose. Knowledge about BF and early detection of obstetric/gynecologic complications must be strengthened among the healthcare staff in charge of mothers during post-partum. Additionally, strategies must be promoted to continue BF such as creating milk banks with the objective of increasing BF rates even when mothers return to work.
Core Tip: Globally, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) maintenance rates are low; therefore, one goal of the breastfeeding policy brief is to improve it. In the present study, we document that receiving information about BF in our hospital managed to maintain EBF up to 4 mo and that the presence of gyneco-obstetric comorbidities, having mastitis and receiving information from mass media were factors associated with non-maintenance of EBF.