Abstract
Objective: While socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity are known predictors of breastfeeding practices, the added disparity caused by the rising rates of obesity among women of childbearing age remains untested. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in breastfeeding initiation and duration among black, white and Hispanic women of low and middle SES within the context of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI).
Methods: Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort were analyzed. Adjusted logistic regression models were built to examine differences in breastfeeding initiation and duration for the three racial/ethnic groups of low and middle SES.
Results: Normal BMI Hispanic women of low SES demonstrated higher rates of breastfeeding initiation (74%) compared to other groups. Overweight/obese black women of low SES had lower rates of breastfeeding initiation. Overweight/obese Hispanic women of middle SES were significantly less likely to continue breastfeeding up to 4 months (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.98) compared to their white counterparts. Among women who initiated breastfeeding, overweight/obese white women of low SES had the highest rate of stopping within two months of giving birth (66.7%).
Conclusions: Examination of SES and racial/ethnic differences within the context of prepregnancy weight revealed specific groups with low rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Interventions tailored for these at-risk groups are needed to increase the overall proportion of mothers and infants who benefit from the positive health outcomes associated with breastfeeding.
©2012 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston
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Articles in the same Issue
- Review article
- WAPM Working Group on Nutrition: Potential chronobiotic role of human milk in sleep regulation
- Opinion Paper
- “Every case of asphyxia can be used as a learning example”. Conclusions from an analysis of substandard obstetrical care
- Original Articles – Obstetrics
- Hematologic profile of the fetus with systemic inflammatory response syndrome
- Optimized amniotic fluid analysis in patients suspected of intrauterine infection/inflammation
- Risk factors for preterm delivery with placenta previa
- Recombinant human factor VIIa prevents hysterectomy in severe postpartum hemorrhage: single center study
- Combination antiretroviral therapy with protease inhibitors in HIV-infected pregnancy
- Vitamin D status during normal pregnancy and postpartum. A longitudinal study in 141 Danish women
- The impact of the time interval between two successive deliveries in an obstetric unit in terms of the mode of each delivery and the rate of perinatal mortality
- Original Articles – Fetus
- Terbutaline: effects on the fetal heart at term
- Parallel maternal and fetal immune activation by bacterial toxins in vitro
- Original Articles – Newborn
- Prepregnancy body mass index, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity and breastfeeding practices
- Fetal and neonatal outcome in patients with anterior abdominal wall defects (gastroschisis and omphalocele)
- Total serum bilirubin level in umbilical cord blood and respiratory distress syndrome in very low birth weight infants
- Short Communication
- Improved overall delivery documentation following implementation of a standardized shoulder dystocia delivery form
- Letters to the Editor
- Prevention of prematurity – a complex undertaking
- Prevention of prematurity – a complex undertaking reply
- Congress calendar
- 10.1515/JPM-2011-1000