Objectives: To determine the prevalence of breastfeeding in the health area of Salnés Hospital (Vilagarcía, Pontevedra, Spain) and the influence of social and healthcare factors on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding. To evaluate compliance with each of the BFHI (Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative) "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" defined by the WHO/UNICEF.
Method: The study population included all the women who gave birth in Salnés Hospital between august 2004 and september 2005. All the women were administered a questionnaire before discharge. A prospective study was performed by telephone interviews at 4, 6 and 12 months postpartum. A database was created using SPSS 13.0 for Windows. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test for quantitative variables, and the Chi-square test for categorical variables.
Results: At discharge, 66.3% (134) of newborns were exclusively breastfed. At 6 months postpartum, 23.7% (31) of the women continued exclusive breastfeeding, and 10.2% (13) continued at 12 months. Factors with a significant effect on breastfeeding initiation were the partner's educational level and women's attendance at prenatal classes. Factors with a positive effect on maintaining breastfeeding were maternal non-smoking, a partner with tertiary education and the recommendation of on-demand breastfeeding by the healthcare provider.
Conclusions: Compliance with the BFHI "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" was fairly satisfactory, but the prevalence of breastfeeding should be higher. The father should be included in prenatal education.