Maternal Depression and Breastfeeding Practices in the Maldives

Apr 13, 2019Asia-Pacific journal of public health

How Mothers' Depression Relates to Breastfeeding in the Maldives

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Antenatal depression at 36 weeks of gestation was associated with late initiation of breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio = 3.0).

Mothers experiencing antenatal depression were three times more likely to start breastfeeding later.
Postnatal depression is linked to a significantly shorter duration of exclusive, full, and any breastfeeding.
The findings suggest that managing depression during and after pregnancy could improve breastfeeding practices.
Data was collected from 458 mothers in the Maldives, assessed at multiple time points.

AI simplified

OBJECTIVES: To assess associations between maternal depression and breastfeeding practices in mothers in the Maldives.

DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. The validated questionnaires contained information on demographics, breastfeeding initiation, breastfeeding duration, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess association between Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score and breastfeeding practices while adjusting for lifestyle determinants. Cox regression was done to measure the association between maternal depression and breastfeeding duration.

SETTINGS: Antenatal clinic at Indira Gandhi Memorial and ADK Hospitals in Male', Maldives.

SUBJECTS: A total of 458 mothers from the antennal clinics were interviewed at 36 weeks of gestation and again at 1, 3, and 6 months after birth.

RESULTS: Antenatal depression at 36 weeks of gestation was associated with late initiation of breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio = 3.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-6.8). Postnatal depression was associated with shorter duration of exclusive, full, and any breastfeeding ( P < .001).

CONCLUSION: Depression is negatively associated with breastfeeding practices. There is a need to manage antenatal postnatal depression in mothers in order to encourage them to initiate breastfeeding earlier and to breastfeed for longer.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗View full text (XML) ↗View full text ↗

Maternal Depression and Breastfeeding Practices in the Maldives

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief