Factors associated with the lack of breastfeeding upon discharge from hospital in a public maternity facility in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil

Abstract

This article sets out to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors with the lack of breastfeeding upon discharge from hospital in a public maternity facility in Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil. It involved a cross-sectional study performed with women who had recently given birth at the moment of discharge from the maternity ward of a university hospital in the capital. Prevalence ratios (PR) and confidence intervals of 95% (CI95%) were calculated by Poisson regression with the use of a hierarchical model. Approximately 20% of mothers did not breastfeed. Smoking during pregnancy [PR = 5.20; (CI95% =1.75 to 15.33), p = 0.003]; complications during pregnancy [PR =3.50; (CI95% =1.04 to 11.77), p = 0.042] and insufficient information about breastfeeding during prenatal care [PR = 5.44; (CI95% 1.78 to 16.67); p = 0.003] were the major negative factors associated with the lack of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in the maternity ward was lower than ideal. Guidelines on smoking prevention and encouragement of breastfeeding must be highlighted during prenatal care, especially for women with complications during pregnancy.