Lactation Telehealth in Primary Care: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Despite recommendations to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months of an infant's life with subsequent introduction of complementary foods through the infant's first year, breastfeeding rates decrease significantly over the first 6 months of life. Access to skilled lactation care is one of the main barriers to breastfeeding. Research Aim: This study aims to review current research on access to skilled lactation care through telehealth and to assess whether the research indicates an impact of lactation telehealth on breastfeeding rates, duration, and early cessation. Methods: PubMed, Medline, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane Library were searched for peer-reviewed articles published 2015-2020. A systematic review of literature identified 10 research articles that study the impact of lactation telehealth using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA). Results: Studies included analyzed associations between lactation telehealth and breastfeeding outcomes as well as lactation telehealth feasibility and satisfaction. All studies examined lactation telehealth and most interventions were multidirectional synchronous communication. Increases in any breastfeeding rate and exclusive breastfeeding rate, and a decrease in early breastfeeding cessation occurred following lactation telehealth. Lactation telehealth was also found to be feasible and produced high satisfaction rates among users. Conclusion: Lactation telehealth is feasible and an effective intervention to increase breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding duration and decrease early breastfeeding cessation.

Keywords: breastfeeding; infant; lactation; mothers; newborn; postpartum period; telehealth.