Ayuda
Ir al contenido

Dialnet


Breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing

  • Autores: Maria Iacovou, Almudena Sevilla Sanz, Cristina Borra Marcos
  • Localización: XX Encuentro Economía Pública: estado del bienestar. Sostenibilidad y reformas, 2013, ISBN 978-84-695-6945-0, pág. 59
  • Idioma: inglés
  • Enlaces
  • Resumen
    • Context The benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother a nd the child are well documented, as are the negative health consequences of perinatal depressio n.

      Objective To explore causality in the relationships between b reastfeeding and perinatal depression. In particula r the causal effect of breastfeeding on postpartum ma ternal mental health was investigated together with the causal effect of antenatal maternal wellbeing o n breastfeeding intentions, prevalence, and duratio n.

      Methods We used the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) dataset which offers longitudinal information on mothers and their child ren. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of a ny and exclusive breastfeeding initiation and duration on postpartum mental health, measured at d ifferent time moments (8 weeks, 8 months, 21 months and 32 months post partum) We also explored the effects of antenatal mental health measured at 18 and 33 weeks pregnancy on the different breas tfeeding outcomes.

      Results We found first that, even though there was a strong bivariate relationship between breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing, once potential confounders were controlled for, especially maternal mental and physical health during pregnancy, breastfeeding cea sed to exert a significant effect on maternal wellbeing. Therefore apparently breastfeeding did n ot causally affect maternal postnatal wellbeing.

      Second, antenatal mental health was positively rela ted to breastfeeding. This effect remained statistically significant after all potential confo unders were controlled for with respect to breastfe eding duration, though not for other measures of breastfe eding. Third, the usual screening value for perinat al depression of EPDS greater than 13 may be unnecessa rily high. A value of 14 to 15 EPDS was enough to capture the negative impact of prenatal depressi on on breastfeeding duration.

      Conclusion Depressive symptomatology in the perinatal period n egatively influences infant-feeding outcomes.

      Prenatal identification of depression-prone mothers may allow targeting breastfeeding promotion interventions to this highly vulnerable group


Fundación Dialnet

Dialnet Plus

  • Más información sobre Dialnet Plus

Opciones de compartir

Opciones de entorno