The Effect of a Structured Individualized Educational Intervention on Breastfeeding Rates in Greek Women

Theoni Truva, George Valasoulis, Abraham Pouliakis, Irontianta Gkorezi-Ntavela, Dimitra Pappa, Alexandra Bargiota, Antonios Garas, Ioanna Grivea and Alexandros Daponte
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Theoni Truva: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital of Larisa, 41334 Larisa, Greece
George Valasoulis: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital of Larisa, 41334 Larisa, Greece
Abraham Pouliakis: Second Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, 12464 Athens, Greece
Irontianta Gkorezi-Ntavela: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital of Larisa, 41334 Larisa, Greece
Dimitra Pappa: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Alexandra Bargiota: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Antonios Garas: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital of Larisa, 41334 Larisa, Greece
Ioanna Grivea: Department of Pediatrics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Alexandros Daponte: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital of Larisa, 41334 Larisa, Greece

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Breastfeeding rates remain extremely low in Greece and women with gestational diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism may experience additional difficulties. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a structured individualized lactation educational intervention by a midwife on increasing breastfeeding rates in women with endocrine disorders and low-risk women compared to women receiving standard care, 24 months after delivery. Two-hundred women made up the study population. Half of them were experiencing endocrine pregnancy disorders and 100 women constituted the low-risk pregnancy standard care control group. Women who were breastfeeding exclusively were significantly higher in the midwifery intervention group with endocrine disorders, namely breastfeeding continued at four months (breastfeeding: 20% vs. 12%, exclusive breastfeeding: 50% vs. 26%, p = 0.0228), and at six months after childbirth (breastfeeding: 54% vs. 28%, exclusive breastfeeding: 32% vs. 12%, p = 0.0011), compared to the standard care control group with endocrine disorder. The low-risk midwifery intervention group breastfed at four months (22% vs. 14%, p = 0.0428) and at six months (52% vs. 26%, p = 0.0018) at higher rates compared to the standard care control group. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding was significantly higher in the low-risk midwifery intervention group at four months (46% vs. 20%, p = 0.0102) and six months (38% vs. 4%, p < 0.0001) compared to the standard care control group. This study was the first attempt of a structured midwifery breastfeeding education in Greece and its major contribution reflects a significant positive impact on breastfeeding rates in terms of duration and exclusivity in women with gestational endocrine disorders as well as in low-risk women, and could possibly be applied and instituted in everyday clinical practice to increase the low breastfeeding rates in Greece.

Keywords: breastfeeding; individualized intervention; endocrine disorders in pregnancy; midwifery care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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