Breastfeeding Practices Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Fortaleza, Northeastern Brazil. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Farías-Antúnez, Simone; Correia, Luciano Lima; Araújo, David Augusto Batista Sá; Penna, Ana Luiza; de Sousa, Geziel dos Santos; Silva, Anamaria Cavalcante e; Campos, Jocileide Sales; Rocha, Hermano Alexandre Lima; Aquino, Camila Machado de; Castro, Marcia C.; Tavares Machado, Márcia Maria
• Is Part Of: Journal of human lactation. Volume 38:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 407
• Page End: 421
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Brazil -- breastfeeding -- breastfeeding practices -- COVID-19 lockdown -- COVID-19 pandemic -- cross-sectional studies -- maternal and child Health; Breastfeeding -- Periodicals; Lactation -- Periodicals; 612.664
• DOI: 10.1177/08903344221101874
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-3344

Abstract

Background: Physical distancing associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to suboptimal maternal mental health, social support after birth, and infant feeding practices. Research Aims: To compare breastfeeding prevalence in participants who were pregnant at a time when strict physical distancing measures were imposed in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará state, Brazil, with the pre-pandemic breastfeeding levels, and to assess the association of breastfeeding prevalence with maternal common mental disorders, and sociodemographic and health predictors. Method: A cross-sectional prospective two-group comparison design using two population-based surveys was carried out in Fortaleza before and after the pandemic. Participants ( n = 351) who had a live birth in Fortaleza in July or August 2020, and participants ( n = 222) who had a child younger than 12 months in 2017 were surveyed. Crude and adjusted multinomial logistic regressions with robust variance were used to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Similar prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding were observed in 2021 (8.1%) and 2017 (8.5%; p = .790). An increase in predominant (2.2% vs. 13.4%; p < .001) and a decrease in complementary breastfeeding (64.0% vs. 48.4%; p = .037) was observed in 2021, compared to 2017. The prevalence of maternal common mental disorders also increased in 2021 (17.6% vs. 32.5%, p < .001). No statistically significant associations were found between breastfeeding patterns, maternal common mental disorders, and other predictors in 2017 or 2021. Conclusions: Participants who delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic delayed solid foods introduction and breastfed predominantly longer than participants during the pre-pandemic period. While common mental disorders significantly increased, they were not associated with differences in breastfeeding.