Association between Breastfeeding Duration and Long-Term Midwifery-Led Support and Psychosocial Support: Outcomes from a Greek Non-Randomized Controlled Perinatal Health Intervention

Maria Dagla, Irina Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou, Marilena Vogiatzoglou, Anastasia Giamalidou, Eleni Tsolaridou, Marianna Mavrou, Calliope Dagla and Evangelia Antoniou
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Maria Dagla: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Irina Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Marilena Vogiatzoglou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Anastasia Giamalidou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Eleni Tsolaridou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Marianna Mavrou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Calliope Dagla: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece
Evangelia Antoniou: Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Background: This study investigates if a non-randomized controlled perinatal health intervention which offers (a) long-term midwife-led breastfeeding support and (b) psychosocial support of women, is associated with the initiation, exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding. Methods: A sample of 1080 women who attended a 12-month intervention before and after childbirth, during a five-year period (January 2014–January 2019) in a primary mental health care setting in Greece, was examined. Multiple analyses of variance and logistic regression analysis were conducted. Results: The vast majority of women (96.3%) initiated either exclusive breastfeeding (only breast milk) (70.7%) or any breastfeeding (with or without formula or other type of food/drink) (25.6%). At the end of the 6th month postpartum, almost half of the women (44.3%) breastfed exclusively. A greater (quantitatively) midwifery-led support to mothers seemed to correlate with increased chance of exclusive breastfeeding at the end of the 6th month postpartum ( p = 0.034), and with longer any breastfeeding duration ( p = 0.015). The absence of pathological mental health symptoms and of need for receiving long-term psychotherapy were associated with the longer duration of any breastfeeding ( p = 0.029 and p = 0.013 respectively). Conclusions: Continuous long-term midwife-led education and support, and maternal mental well-being are associated with increased exclusive and any breastfeeding duration.

Keywords: breastfeeding; mental health; intervention; mental health disorders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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