Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T03:43:56.375Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Unintended pregnancies are associated with less likelihood of prolonged breast-feeding: an analysis of 18 Demographic and Health Surveys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Amber J Hromi-Fiedler  and
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Amber J Hromi-Fiedler*
Affiliation:
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Roy E Jones Building, UNIT 4017, 3624 Horsebarn Road Ext., Storrs, CT 06269-4017, USA
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Affiliation:
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Roy E Jones Building, UNIT 4017, 3624 Horsebarn Road Ext., Storrs, CT 06269-4017, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective

To examine the relationship between unintended pregnancies and prolonged breast-feeding among 18 countries on an individual and aggregated level.

Design and setting

Regional multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine this association based on 18 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 1995 and 2000.

Subjects

Women who had a live child between 13 and 36 months old were included in these analyses (n = 41 353).

Results

Regression models were adjusted for 10 covariates including child age, maternal age, pregnancy status of mother at the time of interview and parity. In 11 out of the 18 countries the odds ratio (OR) of the association between unintended pregnancies and prolonged breast-feeding was <1.0, reaching statistical significance in three countries. Pooled analyses of all 18 countries detected a significant association between unintended pregnancies and less likelihood of prolonged breast-feeding (OR = 0.90, 95% confidence interval = 0.85–0.96).

Conclusions

Prospective studies are needed to further understand if and how pregnancy intentions influence breast-feeding outcomes in different settings.

Keywords

Pregnancy intentionBreast-feedingDemographic andHealth Survey
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , May 2006 , pp. 306 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2006

References

1The Alan Guttmacher Institute. Sharing Responsibility: Women, Society and Abortion Worldwide [online]. Available at http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/sharing.pdf. Accessed 6 06 2005.Google Scholar
2Kost, K, Landry, DJ, Darroch, JE. The effects of pregnancy planning status on birth outcomes and infant care. Family Planning Perspectives 1998; 30: 223–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Taylor, JS, Cabral, HJ. Are women with an unintended pregnancy less likely to breastfeed? Journal of Family Practice 2002; 51: 431–6.Google ScholarPubMed
4Dye, TD, Wojtowycz, MA, Aubry, RH, Quade, J, Kilburn, H. Unintended pregnancy and breast-feeding behavior. American Journal of Public Health 1997; 87: 1709–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Perez-Escamilla, R, Cobas, JA, Balcazar, H, Holland Benin, M. Specifying the antecedents of breast-feeding duration in Peru through a structural equation model. Public Health Nutrition 1999; 2: 461–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Chinebuah, B, Perez-Escamilla, R. Unplanned pregnancies are associated with less likelihood of prolonged breast-feeding among primiparous women in Ghana. Journal of Nutrition 2001; 131: 1247–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 MEASURE/DHS+, ORC Macro [online]. Available at http://www.measuredhs.com. Accessed 6 06 2005.Google Scholar
8Marquis, GS, Habitcht, JP, Lanata, CF, Black, RE, Rasmussen, KM. Breastmilk or animal-product foods improve linear growth of Peruvian toddlers consuming marginal diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1997; 66: 1102–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Onyango, AW, Esrey, SA, Kramer, MS. Continued breastfeeding and child growth in the second year of life: a prospective cohort study in western Kenya. Lancet 1999; 354: 2041–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Filteau, SM. Role of breast-feeding in managing malnutrition and infectious disease. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2000; 59: 565–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Simondon, KB, Costes, R, Delaunay, V, Diallo, A, Simondon, F. Children's height, health and appetite influence mothers' weaning decisions in rural Senegal. International Journal of Epidemiology 2001; 30: 476–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Simondon, KB, Simondon, F. Mothers prolong breastfeeding of undernourished children in rural Senegal. International Journal of Epidemiology 1998; 27: 490–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Perez-Escamilla, R. Pregnancy intentions and infant health. United Nations Subcommittee on Nutrition Newsletter 2001; 23: 39.Google Scholar
14Eggleston, E, Tsui, AO, Kotelchuck, M. Unintended pregnancy and low birthweight in Ecuador. American Journal of Public Health 2001; 91: 808–10.Google ScholarPubMed
15Shapiro-Mendoza, C, Selwyn, BJ, Smith, DP, Sanderson, M. Parental pregnancy intention and early childhood stunting: findings from Bolivia. International Journal of Epidemiology 2005; 34: 387–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed