MONITORING BREASTFEEDING RATES IN ITALY: RESULTS FROM AN ONGOING SURVEY

Giovannini M, Banderali G, Agostoni C, Stival G, Bernardo L, Riva E.

Department of Pediatrics, San Paolo Hospital, Milan, Italy

 

Objective: The aim of this ongoing longitudinal study was to evaluate whether any change in the breastfeeding rate has occurred in Italy in the last five-year period.

Methods: Two cohorts of 2192 and 3249 mother-infant pairs were randomly recruited from all the healthy singleton term infants born in Italy during November 1995 and November 1999, respectively. A telephone questionnaire was administered one month and three months after delivery. Experienced personnel, standardized previously during a training course, carried out the interviews.

Results: The participation rate was 73.0% in 1995 and 75.4% in 1999. The rate of initiation of breastfeeding was higher in 1999 (89.0%, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 87.8% to 90.2%) than in 1995 (85.3%, 95% CI, 83.6% to 87.0%) (p<0.0001). The rate of full (exclusive or predominant) breastfeeding was also higher in 1999 (78.0%, 95% CI, 76.4% to 79.6%) than in 1995 (71.8%, 95% CI, 69.6% to 74.0%) (p<0.0001). Three months after delivery the rate of breastfeeding was 41.8% (95% CI, 39.4% to 42.2%) in the 1995 cohort and 62.3% (95% CI, 60.4% to 64.2%) in the 1999 cohort (p<0.0001). The corresponding rates of full breastfeeding were 37.3% (95% CI, 34.9% to 39.7%) and 44.6% (95% CI, 42.6% to 46.6%), respectively (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: The present findings point out that there has been a significant increase of the breastfeeding rate in Italy during the last five years. Possible changes related to infant-feeding policies and practice should be identified to further promote breastfeeding in Italy, also accordingly to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

Study supported by the Danone Institute of Italy.

 

 

 
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