Breastfeeding in Women With Type 1 Diabetes

Exploration of predictive factors

Sparud-Lundin, Carina RN; PHD
Wennergren, Margareta MD; PHD
Elfvin, Anders MD; PHD
Berg, Marie RN; RM; PHD

¹Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
³Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, The Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden

Corresponding author: Carina Sparud-Lundin, [email protected].

Received October 7, 2010

Accepted November 21, 2010

Diabetes Care 34(2):p 296-301, February 2011. | DOI: 10.2337/dc10-1916

OBJECTIVE

To identify predictive factors for initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding with a focus on mothers with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This is a prospective observation survey, using a case-control design, comparing the outcomes of 108 mothers with type 1 diabetes with 104 mothers without diabetes that were matched for parity and gestational age. Mother and infant outcomes were collected from medical records and through telephone interviews 2 and 6 months after delivery. Predictive factors were calculated by logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Mothers with diabetes were less likely to partly or exclusively breastfeed their children at 2 months (OR 0.42 [95% CI 0.18–0.96], P = 0.041) and 6 months (0.50 [0.27–0.90], P = 0.022) than mothers without diabetes. On multivariable analysis, type 1 diabetes did not remain an independent predictive factor. Instead, higher education level and breastfeeding at discharge from hospital were predictive factors for breastfeeding at 2 months postpartum. These variables as well as delivery >37 weeks and early breastfeeding predicted breastfeeding 6 months postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors associated with maternal diabetes, such as problems with establishing breastfeeding in the early postpartum period, affects the likelihood of long-term breastfeeding.