Factors associated with short duration of breast-feeding in Mexican working women
Navarro-Estrella, M.; Duque-López, Mía.Ximena.; Trejo y Pérez, J.Antonio.
Salud Publica de Mexico 45(4): 276-284
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-3634 PMID: 14506770 Document Number: 258130
Objective: To identify the maternal, work, and health services factors associated with a short duration of breast feeding in working mothers. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between November 1998 and March 1999, among 265 mothers medically insured by (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, IMSS) Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico, who completed a questionnaire when their babies were 3 to 9 months old. Mothers were divided into two groups, based on breast feeding duration: those who breast fed for less than 3 months and those who did so for three months or more. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with short duration of breast feeding. Results: One-hundred and twelve mothers (42.3%) abandoned breast feeding early. Risk factors were: poor maternal knowledge on breast feeding, odds ratio (OR) 5.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.67-20.67; mothers with no previous breast feeding experience OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.66-5.36; mothers planning to breast feed their babies for less than 3 months (OR 16.24, 95% CI 5.37-49.12); and mothers with no access to breast feeding facilities at work (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12-3.56). Conclusions: The main factors associated with short duration of breast feeding were the maternal ones. The only work-related factor associated with short duration of breast feeding was the absence of breast feeding facilities. It is probable that maternal knowledge on breast feeding, previous breast feeding experience, and the availability of facilities at work for breast feeding affect the maternal decisions on breast feeding duration. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.