Evaluation of factors contributing to the decline in exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum: The 2011-2016 National Surveys in Taiwan

Abstract

Background: Since 1992, breastfeeding promotion in Taiwan considerably raised the breastfeeding rates; however, more recent surveillance showed that breastfeeding indicators stagnated or even decreased.

Methods: We analyzed 6 cross-sectional national surveys of 69 159 postpartum women to examine the breastfeeding trends at 6 months postpartum during 2011-2016 in Taiwan and the contributing role of maternal and environmental factors. Data were collected through telephone interviews, using structured questionnaires with randomly selected mothers, who gave birth in those years. A multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the data.

Results: Partial breastfeeding rates at 6 months postpartum increased from 2011 to 2016 (25.4%-45.1%, crude odds ratio [OR] = 1.14 per year of study); however, the rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum declined (24.5%-14.8%, crude OR = 0.91 per year of study). During this period, increases in maternal age and educational level, employment outside the house, and prepregnancy obesity were observed. Despite a growing number of births at certified baby-friendly hospitals, fewer mothers experienced early skin-to-skin contact and rooming-in in 2016 than in 2011. Adjustment for breastfeeding-related factors did not appreciably change the odds ratio for year of birth. Prenatal intention to breastfeed was most strongly associated with breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum (OR > 5).

Conclusions: Maternal and environmental factors in the study could not explain the decline in exclusive breastfeeding. The decline in exclusive breastfeeding, accompanying the increase in partial breastfeeding, suggests that more support is needed for mothers who intend to breastfeed exclusively.

Keywords: Taiwan; baby-friendly hospital; breastfeeding rates; exclusive breastfeeding; national survey; rooming-in.