Unit for Health Services Research and International Health, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, Trieste, Italy .
Breastfeed Med. 2011 Aug;6(4):177-82. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2011.0019.
This study assessed the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding up to 24 months and the associated socioeconomic determinants in a birth cohort of children.
Four hundred infants born in a hospital in the north east of Italy were enrolled at birth and followed up for 36 months. Data on infant feeding were gathered through a feeding diary compiled at fixed intervals. Data were also gathered on type of delivery and weight, length, and health status at birth, as well as on selected socioeconomic indicators of the mothers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine any association that exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding may have with selected socioeconomic variables and with health conditions of the infants at birth.
Ninety-eight percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding, 69% of them exclusively. This rate, however, had declined to 6% by 6 months. There was a remarkable endurance of breastfeeding at 24 months (12%). The variables significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months and any form of breastfeeding at 12 months are mother's age (p=0.007 at 3 months, p=0.026 at 12 months) and postdischarge hospital admission (p=0.029 at 3 months).
In this population, breastfeeding rates are higher than previously reported, but lower than recommended, especially as far as exclusivity is concerned. Full implementation of the World Health Organization-UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiatives in hospitals and communities is needed to improve them further. Monitoring systems should include the collection of data on breastfeeding beyond 12 months of age.
本研究评估了意大利东北部一家医院出生队列中婴儿至 24 个月的母乳喂养率和持续时间，以及相关的社会经济决定因素。
400 名婴儿在意大利东北部的一家医院出生时被纳入研究，并随访 36 个月。通过定期填写喂养日记收集婴儿喂养数据。还收集了分娩方式以及婴儿出生时的体重、长度和健康状况的数据，以及母亲的一些选定社会经济指标数据。采用多变量逻辑回归分析来确定母乳喂养的排他性和持续时间与选定的社会经济变量以及婴儿出生时的健康状况之间的任何关联。
98%的母亲开始母乳喂养，其中 69%的母亲进行了纯母乳喂养。然而，这一比例在 6 个月时下降到 6%。24 个月时母乳喂养的比例（12%）显著增加。与 3 个月时纯母乳喂养和 12 个月时任何形式母乳喂养显著相关的变量是母亲的年龄（3 个月时 p=0.007，12 个月时 p=0.026）和出院后住院（3 个月时 p=0.029）。
在本研究人群中，母乳喂养率高于先前报道，但低于推荐水平，尤其是在排他性方面。需要在医院和社区全面实施世界卫生组织-联合国儿童基金会“爱婴医院倡议”以进一步提高母乳喂养率。监测系统应包括收集 12 个月以上婴儿母乳喂养的数据。
