Maternal and neonatal factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding upon hospital discharge.
Paola Cristina Toapanta-Pinta, Adriana Paola Sinchiguano Cóndor, Deicy Maribel Muso Defaz and 3 others
PMID 41417335WHAT IT FOUND
In a tertiary Ecuadorian hospital, 91.55% of discharged newborns were exclusively breastfed.
Exclusive breastfeeding was less likely with illicit substance use, tobacco use, hypertension, cesarean, anesthesia, multiple birth, low weight, low 5-minute Apgar, and cleft lip/palate.
Key findings
01The final analysis included 22,136 mother-newborn records, and 91.55% of newborns were discharged with exclusive breastfeeding, while 6.29% had partial feeding and 2.16% had artificial feeding.
02Adjusted models showed lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding with illicit substance use, tobacco use, hypertensive disorders, cesarean delivery, general anesthesia, multiple pregnancy, a 5-minute Apgar score below 7, low weight for gestational age, and cleft lip or palate.
03Adjusted models showed higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding with breastfeeding counseling, five or more prenatal visits, and a birth companion.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality, so these factors are associations rather than proven causes. The analysis used retrospective hospital records, which may have compromised data quality. Self-reported substance use may have been underestimated because of social desirability bias. The study was done in a single tertiary hospital in Quito, Ecuador, so the rates may not apply to other settings. Some records were excluded for incomplete key data, and missing values were reported for feeding and other variables.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that cesarean birth, anesthesia, or a low Apgar score causes lower breastfeeding. The study is cross-sectional and uses hospital records, so it can only describe associations among the factors measured.