Breastfeeding in Hospitals: Factors Influencing Maternal Choice in Italy

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Res Public Health

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2020 May 24

PMID 32443713

Citations 10

Authors

Rosalia Ragusa

Gabriele Giorgianni

Marina Marranzano

Salvatore Cacciola

Valentina Lucia La Rosa

Alessandra Giarratana

Valentina Altadonna

Vincenzo Guardabasso

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Monitoring the prevalence of breastfeeding is one of the actions provided for in Italian National Health System. This study aims to observe the prevalence of breastfeeding in a representative set of birthing hospitals in the province of Catania, in Sicily, Italy, to assess the factors influencing women in their decisions to breastfeed during hospitalization after delivery. We conducted an observational study on 3813 questionnaires administered to mothers of newborns during their hospital stay from the years 2016 to 2018 in eight hospitals of various types. The average maternal age was 31.3 years ± 5.8. Sixty-nine percent of women did not attend a prenatal course. From childbirth to discharge, the percentage of women who breastfed was 88%, of whom 45% did exclusive breastfeeding. Only 35% of women who had a caesarean section adopted exclusive breastfeeding. In our experience, rooming-in was not associated with an increase in breastfeeding. We observed that both attendance to prenatal courses and the mother's education level played a minor role in influencing the mother's decision in breastfeeding A fairly high percentage of exclusive breastfeeding, 75%, was attained just in one hospital, where dedicated staff was deployed to encourage breastfeeding. The lowest percentage (12%) of exclusive breastfeeding was observed in a large private accredited health facility. Hospital presence of professionals trained in human lactation is a smart investment for society.

Citing Articles

Multilevel analysis of early initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia.

Hussen N, Kassa T, Habtie G Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1393496.

PMID: 38813432 PMC: 11133667. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1393496.

The Impact of Mode of Delivery and Postpartum Conditions on Breastfeeding: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Hulman A, Pakai A, Csakvari T, Keczeli V, Varga K Healthcare (Basel). 2024; 12(2).

PMID: 38255135 PMC: 10814997. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020248.

Early initiation of breastfeeding up to six months among mothers after cesarean section or vaginal birth: A scoping review.

Ulfa Y, Maruyama N, Igarashi Y, Horiuchi S Heliyon. 2023; 9(6):e16235.

PMID: 37292274 PMC: 10245156. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16235.

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at discharge during the COVID-19 pandemic in 17 WHO European Region countries.

Azulay Chertok I, Artzi-Medvedik R, Arendt M, Sacks E, Otelea M, Rodrigues C Int Breastfeed J. 2022; 17(1):83.

PMID: 36461061 PMC: 9716162. DOI: 10.1186/s13006-022-00517-1.

Association between History of Prolonged Exclusive Breast-Feeding and the Lung Function Indices in Childhood.

Perikleous E, Fouzas S, Michailidou M, Patsourou A, Tsalkidis D, Steiropoulos P Children (Basel). 2022; 9(11).

PMID: 36360436 PMC: 9688515. DOI: 10.3390/children9111708.

References

Mateus Solarte J, Arana G . Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practice in a cohort of women from Cali, Colombia. Colomb Med (Cali). 2019; 50(1):22-29. PMC: 6536044. DOI: 10.25100/cm.v50i1.2961. View

Duijts L, Jaddoe V, Hofman A, Moll H . Prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of infectious diseases in infancy. Pediatrics. 2010; 126(1):e18-25. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008-3256. View

Harrison C, Teede H, Joham A, Moran L . Breastfeeding and obesity in PCOS. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2018; 11(6):449-454. DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2016.1239523. View

Reyes-Munoz E, Sathyapalan T, Rossetti P, Shah M, Long M, Buscema M . Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Implication for Drug Metabolism on Assisted Reproductive Techniques-A Literature Review. Adv Ther. 2018; 35(11):1805-1815. PMC: 6224003. DOI: 10.1007/s12325-018-0810-1. View

Hansen K . Breastfeeding: a smart investment in people and in economies. Lancet. 2016; 387(10017):416. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00012-X. View

Bernardi S, Londero A, Bertozzi S, Driul L, Marchesoni D, Petri R . Breast-feeding and benign breast disease. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2011; 32(1):58-61. DOI: 10.3109/01443615.2011.613496. View

Garbarino F, Morniroli D, Ghirardi B, Garavaglia E, Bracco B, Gianni M . [Prevalence and duration of breastfeeding during the first six months of life: factors affecting an early cessation]. Pediatr Med Chir. 2014; 35(5):217-22. DOI: 10.4081/pmc.2013.30. View

Joham A, Nanayakkara N, Ranasinha S, Zoungas S, Boyle J, Harrison C . Obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome and breastfeeding: an observational study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2016; 95(4):458-66. DOI: 10.1111/aogs.12850. View

Ikonen R, Paavilainen E, Kaunonen M . Preterm Infants' Mothers' Experiences With Milk Expression and Breastfeeding: An Integrative Review. Adv Neonatal Care. 2015; 15(6):394-406. DOI: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000232. View

10.

McRae M . Exclusive Breastfeeding, 24-Hour Rooming-In, and the Importance of Women's Informed Choices. Nurs Womens Health. 2019; 23(4):309-315. DOI: 10.1016/j.nwh.2019.05.003. View

11.

Cignini P, Vitale S, Lagana A, Biondi A, La Rosa V, Cutillo G . Preoperative work-up for definition of lymph node risk involvement in early stage endometrial cancer: 5-year follow-up. Updates Surg. 2017; 69(1):75-82. DOI: 10.1007/s13304-017-0418-z. View

12.

Victora C, Bahl R, Barros A, Franca G, Horton S, Krasevec J . Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet. 2016; 387(10017):475-90. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01024-7. View

13.

Vitale S, Lagana A, Muscatello M, La Rosa V, Curro V, Pandolfo G . Psychopharmacotherapy in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2016; 71(12):721-733. DOI: 10.1097/OGX.0000000000000369. View

14.

Miksic S, Uglesic B, Jakab J, Holik D, Milostic Srb A, Degmecic D . Positive Effect of Breastfeeding on Child Development, Anxiety, and Postpartum Depression. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(8). PMC: 7216213. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082725. View

15.

Mitha A, Piedvache A, Khoshnood B, Fresson J, Glorieux I, Roue J . The impact of neonatal unit policies on breast milk feeding at discharge of moderate preterm infants: The EPIPAGE-2 cohort study. Matern Child Nutr. 2019; 15(4):e12875. PMC: 6859988. DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12875. View

16.

Loof-Johanson M, Brudin L, Sundquist M, Rudebeck C . Breastfeeding Associated with Reduced Mortality in Women with Breast Cancer. Breastfeed Med. 2016; 11(6):321-327. DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2015.0094. View

17.

Lagana A, Rossetti P, Sapia F, Chiofalo B, Buscema M, Valenti G . Evidence-Based and Patient-Oriented Inositol Treatment in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Changing the Perspective of the Disease. Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2017; 15(1):e43695. PMC: 5554611. DOI: 10.5812/ijem.43695. View

18.

Rollins N, Bhandari N, Hajeebhoy N, Horton S, Lutter C, Martines J . Why invest, and what it will take to improve breastfeeding practices?. Lancet. 2016; 387(10017):491-504. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01044-2. View

19.

Fox M, Berzuini C, Knapp L . Maternal breastfeeding history and Alzheimer's disease risk. J Alzheimers Dis. 2013; 37(4):809-21. DOI: 10.3233/JAD-130152. View

20.

Mahesh P, Gunathunga M, Arnold S, Jayasinghe C, Pathirana S, Makarim M . Effectiveness of targeting fathers for breastfeeding promotion: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2018; 18(1):1140. PMC: 6154400. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6037-x. View