Ehmer Amelia, Greisch Catherine, Sonnen Emily, Scott Stephen, Carter Debbie, Ashby Bethany
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA.
J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2024 Jun 3:1-13. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2024.2361367.
Breastfeeding has a positive impact on child and maternal health outcomes. Black and Latina women and adolescent mothers have lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and continuance in the U.S. Maternal depression and psychosocial stressors may contribute to reduced rates of breastfeeding. The current study aims to better understand behaviours and associated factors related to breastfeeding in a diverse group of adolescent mothers attending a teen-tot clinic for postpartum and infant well care.
Participants were 191 mother-infant dyads. Mother's age ranged from 13 to 25, and 54% of mothers identified as Latina, 22% Black, 11% more than one race and 5% white. Demographic information and breastfeeding behaviour were abstracted from the medical record. Rates of postpartum mood/anxiety symptoms and psychosocial stressors were obtained from screening measures completed at medical visits.
Analyses revealed that 87% of adolescent mothers in the sample initiated breastfeeding at birth and the racial/ethnic breakdown of those mothers closely mirrored the overall population (58% Hispanic or Latina, 17% Black, 10% more than one race, 5% white). At 2 months postpartum, only 41% of the population was still breastfeeding. Mothers with significant mood/anxiety symptoms at the newborn visit were more likely to be breastfeeding at the 1- and 2-month visits. Mothers with psychosocial stressors at the newborn visit were less likely to be breastfeeding at the 1- and 2-month visits.
Efforts to promote health equity through breastfeeding for at-risk mothers must occur within the first few weeks postpartum and must consider associated factors including postpartum mood/anxiety symptoms and psychosocial stressors.
母乳喂养对儿童和母亲的健康结果有积极影响。在美国，黑人女性、拉丁裔女性以及青少年母亲的母乳喂养起始率和持续率较低。产妇抑郁和心理社会压力因素可能导致母乳喂养率降低。本研究旨在更好地了解在一家青少年母婴诊所接受产后和婴儿健康护理的不同青少年母亲群体中与母乳喂养相关的行为及相关因素。
研究对象为191对母婴。母亲年龄在13至25岁之间，54%的母亲为拉丁裔，22%为黑人，11%为多种族，5%为白人。人口统计学信息和母乳喂养行为从病历中提取。产后情绪/焦虑症状和心理社会压力因素的发生率通过就诊时完成的筛查措施获得。
分析显示，样本中87%的青少年母亲在出生时开始母乳喂养，这些母亲的种族/族裔分布与总体人群密切相似（58%为西班牙裔或拉丁裔，17%为黑人，10%为多种族，5%为白人）。产后2个月时，只有41%的人群仍在进行母乳喂养。在新生儿访视时有明显情绪/焦虑症状的母亲在产后1个月和2个月访视时更有可能进行母乳喂养。在新生儿访视时有心理社会压力因素的母亲在产后1个月和2个月访视时进行母乳喂养的可能性较小。
对于高危母亲，通过母乳喂养促进健康公平的努力必须在产后几周内开展，并且必须考虑包括产后情绪/焦虑症状和心理社会压力因素在内的相关因素。
