Priorities for Contraception and Lactation Among Breast Pump-Dependent Mothers of Premature Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Determine the knowledge and priorities for postpartum contraception and lactation in mothers of premature infants. Twenty-five mothers of premature infants (mean gestational age = 29.9 weeks) hospitalized in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) participated in a multi-methods study using a multiple-choice contraceptive survey and qualitative interview in the first 2 weeks postpartum. Data were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics. Although 60% of mothers planned to use contraception, all questioned the timing of postpartum contraceptive counseling while recovering from a traumatic birth and coping with the critical health status of the infant. All mothers prioritized providing mothers' own milk (MOM) over the use of early hormonal contraception because they did not want to "take any risks" with their milk. They had limited knowledge of risks for repeat preterm birth (e.g., prior preterm birth:  = 13, 52%; multiple birth:  = 9, 36%; no knowledge:  = 3, 12%); only two mothers (0.08%) were counseled about the risks of a short interpregnancy interval. The context of the infants' NICU admission and the mother's desire to "do what is best for the baby" by prioritizing MOM should be integrated into postpartum contraceptive counseling for this population.