Abstract :
PURPOSE: To identify factors correlated with continuation of breastfeeding among NM mothers.
METHODS: Survey data from 4096 respondents to New Mexico Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System were linked to NM Vital Records birth certificates. Continuation of breastfeeding until at least 9 weeks was analyzed as the outcome with multivariable logistic regression for survey analysis; correlates included socio-demographic, psychosocial, health-care, and medical factors, with ethnicity/race as the main independent variable. Kaplan-Meier survivor function provided weighted estimates for breastfeeding from birth to 28 weeks.
RESULTS: Among all mothers, 76.3% initiated breastfeeding (95% CI 74.4%, 78.3%) and 47.0% (95% CI 44.8%, 49.3%) continued at least 9 weeks; estimated probability of breastfeeding at 6 months after delivery among initiators was 0.38 (95% CI 95% CI 0.36, 0.40). Compared with US-born Hispanic women, non-Hispanic whites (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.54, 2.82), Native Americans (OR 1.99, 95% 1.48, 2.66), and perhaps Mexican-born Hispanics (OR 1.45, 95% CI 0.98, 2.16), were more likely to continue. Maternal residence in northeast NM (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.43, 3.24), staying at home (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.55, 2.50), age 30 or more years (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.29, 2.25), education beyond high school (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09, 1.84), and home visits by a nurse (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01, 1.85) were positively associated with continuation. Gestational age under 34 weeks (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35, 0.82), unwanted pregnancy (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37, 0.82), Medicaid payment for prenatal care and/or delivery (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52, 0.84), and residence in southern NM (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51, 0.90) were negatively associated with continuation of breastfeeding.
CONCLUSION: Continuation of breastfeeding is correlated with ethnicity/race, area of residence, staying at home, feelings about pregnancy, as well as age, education, medical, and health-care factors. Support for breastfeeding must include community norms and workplace policies as well as targeted educational and health-care interventions.
