Association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and breastfeeding behaviour.

AIM

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between breastfeeding behaviour and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

METHOD

Questionnaires were collected from 552 women. Blood and urine specimens were taken from part of the population at the time of delivery. The study population was classified into two groups: those exposed to ETS and those unexposed, based on self-reports from the subjects involved in the study. Cotinine levels in the urine and blood specimens were analysed by HPLC-UV under strict quality control procedures.

RESULTS

There was a significant negative association between the exposure to ETS at home or in the workplace and the prevalence of breastfeeding in each of the 6 months following delivery using multiple logistic regression adjusted for other covariates. The cotinine levels in the urine and blood were dose-dependent, but not significantly so. However, women with lower cotinine levels had a higher probability of breastfeeding than those with higher levels.

CONCLUSION

Women who are exposed to ETS have a low likelihood of breastfeeding. It is necessary for the government to regulate ETS in public areas and confined spaces in order to reduce the levels of ETS that women are exposed to.