Premium
Breastfeeding and contraception use among women with unplanned pregnancies less than 2 years after delivery
Author(s) -
Tilley Ian B.,
Shaaban Omar M.,
Wilson Melissa,
Glasier Anna,
Mishell Daniel R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2009.01.007
Subject(s) - medicine , breastfeeding , obstetrics , pregnancy , family planning , amenorrhea , gynecology , fertility , population , developed country , breast feeding , family medicine , pediatrics , research methodology , environmental health , genetics , biology
Objective To examine breastfeeding and contraceptive use after the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) criteria were no longer met. Methods Two hundred and thirty‐three parous Egyptian women with unplanned pregnancies less than 2 years after delivery completed a questionnaire examining breastfeeding practice and contraceptive use. Results The majority of women (81.5%) with unplanned pregnancies within 2 years of delivery were breastfeeding at conception. Of these women, 36.3% had used a method of contraception other than LAM compared with 60.5% of women who had weaned ( P < 0.05). Among the breastfeeding women, 61.2% failed to use contraception because they believed breastfeeding would prevent pregnancy. Conclusion Breastfeeding women with unplanned pregnancies were less likely to have used contraception than women who had weaned, suggesting that prolonged breastfeeding contributes to unmet contraceptive need.