The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #56772

Ziya Gizlic, PhD¹, Paige Hall Smith, PhD, MPH², and Matt Avery¹. (1) North Carolina Center for Health Statistics, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699, (2) Department of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, 336-334-5520, phsmith@uncg.edu

This paper presents data on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding in North Carolina 1997-2000 using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Systems (PRAMS). PRAMS is a Centers-for-Disease Control and Prevention sponsored state-and population-based surveillance system designed to monitor maternal behaviors and experiences before, during and after pregnancy. Our analysis of these data indicated that initiation for all women rose from 58.8% of the population in 1997 to 62.9% in 2000 (not significant). Initiation rates also rose women on WIC (43.6% to 52.5%) and mothers of babies in the NICU (43.5% to 52.5%). The data also found that although breastfeeding attrition is high, duration at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum did improve over these years: the 4- week duration rate of any breastfeeding increased from 30.1% in 1997 to 37.9 in 2000; the 8-week duration rate improved even more, from 19.8% in l997 to 31.5% in 2000. In the year 2000, of those breastfeeding at 4 weeks and 8 weeks, the proportion exclusively breastfeeding was 49.9% and, 36.8% respectively. Our analysis further indicated that being on WIC, being overweight, being depressed, having high levels of stress, not intending to get pregnant, smoking or drinking during pregnancy, and not taking folic acid were all significantly associated with early breastfeeding attrition. In this paper we also present data on breastfeeding duration by week (1, 4 and 8) by population group and provide suggestions for improving initiation and duration to help achieve the goals of Healthy People 2010.

Learning Objectives:

Our learning objectives are for the participants to be able to: (
• describe changes in breastfeeding initiation and duration over time; and (
• assess and discuss the implications for policy and programs at the state and local level.

Keywords: Breast Feeding,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.