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. 2023 Mar 17;23(1):520.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15447-8.

Race/ethnicity-specific associations between breastfeeding information source and breastfeeding rates among U.S. women

Stephanie M Quintero  1 , Paula D Strassle  2 , Amalia Londoño Tobón  1 , Stephanie Ponce  1 , Alia Alhomsi  1 , Ana I Maldonado  1 , Jamie S Ko  1 , Miciah J Wilkerson  1 , Anna María Nápoles  1
Affiliations

Race/ethnicity-specific associations between breastfeeding information source and breastfeeding rates among U.S. women

Stephanie M Quintero et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Despite evidence of the impact of breastfeeding information on breastfeeding rates, it is unknown if information sources and impact vary by race/ethnicity, thus this study assessed race/ethnicity-specific associations between breastfeeding information sources and breastfeeding.

Methods: We used data from the 2016-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Race/ethnicity-stratified multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate associations between information source (e.g., family/friends) and breastfeeding rates (0 weeks/none, < 10 weeks, or ≥ 10 weeks; < 10 weeks and ≥ 10 weeks = any breastfeeding). All analyses were weighted to be nationally representative.

Results: Among 5,945,018 women (weighted), 88% reported initiating breastfeeding (≥ 10 weeks = 70%). Information from family/friends (< 10 weeks: aORs = 1.58-2.14; ≥ 10 weeks: aORs = 1.63-2.64) and breastfeeding support groups (< 10 weeks: aORs = 1.31-1.76; ≥ 10 weeks: aORs = 1.42-2.77) were consistently associated with breastfeeding and duration across most racial/ethnic groups; effects were consistently smaller among Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic women (vs White women). Over half of American Indian and one-quarter of Black women reported not breastfeeding/stopping breastfeeding due to return to school/work concerns.

Conclusions: Associations between breastfeeding information source and breastfeeding rates vary across race/ethnicity. Culturally tailored breastfeeding information and support from family/friends and support groups could help reduce breastfeeding disparities. Additional measures are needed to address disparities related to concerns about return to work/school.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Health disparities; Maternal and Infant Health; PRAMS; Race/Ethnicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The percentage of women who reported receiving breastfeeding information from A baby’s doctor, B support groups, C nurse/midwife/doula, and D family or friends before or after giving birth, stratified by race/ethnicity, weighted to be nationally representative, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Phase 8, 2016–2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The association between breastfeeding information from A baby’s doctor, B support groups, C nurse/midwife/doula, and D family or friends before or after giving birth and breastfeeding duration < 10 weeks and ≥ 10 weeks (vs. not breastfeeding), stratified by race/ethnicity, weighted to be nationally representative, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Phase 8, 2016–2019. Due to small sample size (n = 44 unweighted), Native Hawaiian women were excluded from the analyses
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