Breastfeeding prevalence in newborns of mothers with COVID-19: a systematic review.
Mariana Torreglosa Ruiz, Karoline Faria de Oliveira, Nayara Freitas Azevedo and 6 others
PMID 37531480WHAT IT FOUND
Exclusive breastfeeding was more common than artificial feeding in newborns of mothers with COVID-19, but rates were lower than pre-pandemic norms.
Recent studies show artificial feeding dropping as clinical practice adapted to safe breastfeeding with precautions.
Key findings
01Exclusive breastfeeding prevalence was 56.76% and artificial feeding was 43.23% among newborns of mothers with confirmed COVID-19, with no statistically significant difference between the two feeding methods.
02Breastfeeding rates in this population were substantially lower than the 74.4% to 98.7% range seen in the same countries before the pandemic.
03Subgroup analysis by publication year showed artificial feeding dropped from 50.22% in studies published in 2020 to 31.61% in those published in 2021.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Extreme heterogeneity between studies (I²=99%) means the pooled prevalence estimates should be interpreted with caution. Most data came from medical records or online surveys rather than direct observation, which may introduce reporting bias. The review included studies from a narrow timeframe (2020-2021) during a period of rapidly changing clinical guidelines, which likely explains the shift in results by publication year. The definition of 'artificial feeding' varied across included studies, with some grouping mixed feeding with exclusive formula use.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the higher exclusive breastfeeding rate as evidence that COVID-19 infection protects against weaning. The rates were lower than pre-pandemic baselines, and the difference between breastfeeding and artificial feeding was not statistically significant. The apparent improvement in 2021 reflects a change in clinical management and support, not a biological effect of the virus.