Department of Women, Children, and Family Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, Chicago, IL, USA.
J Adolesc Health. 2013 Sep;53(3):394-400. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.04.005. Epub 2013 May 29.
Despite a substantial amount of evidence on breastfeeding among non-adolescent mothers, research and strategies uniquely designed to target adolescent mothers are critical because their rates of breastfeeding are disproportionately low and their transition to parenthood is often unlike that of older mothers. Literature to date, however, offers limited evidence for designing effective interventions. Therefore, we aimed to fill this gap in the literature by examining breastfeeding behaviors among a cohort of female adolescents as they transition to parenthood.
Data were derived from a longitudinal cohort of pregnant adolescent females (ages 14-21 years) and their male partners, observed from pregnancy through 6 months postpartum. Means and frequencies were used to describe breastfeeding experiences, breastfeeding behaviors, and sociodemographic characteristics. We used multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models to identify factors independently associated with breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and breastfeeding duration.
Approximately 71% initiated breastfeeding. Intending to breastfeed, having had complications in labor and delivery, and lower social support were associated with greater odds of breastfeeding initiation. Of the adolescent mothers who initiated breastfeeding, 84% had stopped by 6 months postpartum; among those, average breastfeeding duration was 5 weeks. Participants who exclusively breastfed had longer breastfeeding duration, and participants who had experienced intimate partner violence had shorter breastfeeding duration. Obese women and women who had more difficulty breastfeeding had lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding.
Enhanced clinical support and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding should be considered when designing interventions to improve breastfeeding rates among adolescent mothers.
尽管有大量关于非青少年母亲母乳喂养的证据，但研究和专门针对青少年母亲设计的策略至关重要，因为她们的母乳喂养率低得不成比例，而且她们过渡到母亲身份的过程往往与年长母亲不同。然而，迄今为止，文献提供的设计有效干预措施的证据有限。因此，我们旨在通过研究女性青少年在过渡到母亲身份时的母乳喂养行为来填补这一文献空白。
数据来自一项对怀孕青少年女性（14-21 岁）及其男性伴侣的纵向队列研究，从怀孕到产后 6 个月进行观察。使用平均值和频率来描述母乳喂养经历、母乳喂养行为和社会人口统计学特征。我们使用多变量逻辑回归和 Cox 比例风险模型来确定与母乳喂养开始、纯母乳喂养和母乳喂养持续时间独立相关的因素。
大约 71%的人开始母乳喂养。打算母乳喂养、分娩和产后并发症以及较低的社会支持与母乳喂养开始的可能性更大相关。在开始母乳喂养的青少年母亲中，84%在产后 6 个月时已经停止；在这些人中，平均母乳喂养持续时间为 5 周。纯母乳喂养的参与者母乳喂养持续时间更长，经历过亲密伴侣暴力的参与者母乳喂养持续时间更短。肥胖的女性和母乳喂养困难的女性更有可能无法进行纯母乳喂养。
在设计干预措施以提高青少年母亲的母乳喂养率时，应考虑加强临床支持和促进纯母乳喂养。
