Objective: This study compared the breastfeeding intentions and attitudes of pregnant low-income inner-city teens (age ≤19 years) and non-teens (age ≥20) to determine if age is a significant determinant of intent to breastfeed in this population.
Patients and methods: We used structured interviews to examine the feeding intentions and attitudes of consecutive healthy pregnant women receiving obstetrical care at the Women's Health Center, MacDonald Women's Hospital, Cleveland, OH (June 1-July 31, 2007). The primary outcome measure was rate of intent to breastfeed among teen versus non-teen participants. Attitudes and self-assessed knowledge regarding breastfeeding were compared between teens and non-teens, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of age on breastfeeding intent.
Results: We interviewed 176 pregnant women (95% African-American, 94% single marital status, median age 22 years [range, 15-41 years], 46 [26%] teens) at a median of 27 weeks of pregnancy. There were no significant differences between teens and non-teens in race, marital status, or timing of first prenatal visit or interview. Rate of intent to breastfeed and planned duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding, as well as most measured attitudes about breastfeeding including "back to work" plans, were not significantly different between groups. Significant determinants of feeding intent included primiparity, good self-assessed knowledge about breastfeeding, and having support from the father of the baby.
Conclusions: In a population at high risk for choosing not to breastfeed, we found no significant explanatory effect of age on breastfeeding intention, implying that an inclusive targeted breastfeeding intervention program may be effective for both teens and non-teens in a low-income inner-city population. We also found that the support of the father of the baby significantly influenced breastfeeding intent among our participants, suggesting that paternal involvement will be integral to the success of breastfeeding.