Factors related to exclusive breastfeeding in the context of Primary Health Care.
Evelise Rigoni de Faria, Daniel Demétrio Faustino da Silva, Luísa Zadra Passberg
PMID 37820194WHAT IT FOUND
Returning to work before six months reduced the chance of exclusive breastfeeding by 31%.
Having a partner was linked to a 46% higher chance, though this finding was borderline. Maternal depression, anxiety, and childcare visits showed no significant link.
Key findings
01Mothers who returned to work before their child was six months old had 31% lower chances of exclusive breastfeeding compared to those who returned later or did not work.
02The presence of a partner was associated with a 46% increase in the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding, but the authors noted this result was marginal and should be interpreted with caution.
03There was no significant association between exclusive breastfeeding and maternal depression, anxiety, family functionality, or the number of childcare visits attended.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study design is cross-sectional, meaning it identifies associations but cannot prove that returning to work or having a partner caused the change in breastfeeding rates. Data were collected when children were one year old, relying on maternal recall of breastfeeding practices from six months prior, which may introduce memory bias. The sample was relatively homogeneous, with high education levels and universal health access, limiting generalizability to more diverse populations. The association with having a partner was borderline (p=0.059 in the adjusted model), so it is not a definitive finding. The study did not find an association with childcare visits, which may be due to the low variability in access to care in this specific population.
Declared interests
Funded by CNPq and FAPERGS. No conflicts of interest declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that having a partner guarantees successful exclusive breastfeeding. The statistical evidence for this link was borderline (p=0.059) and the authors explicitly advised caution. The clearer finding is the negative impact of early return to work.