Open AccessInitiation and exclusivity of breastfeeding: association with mothers' and fathers' prenatal and postnatal depression and marital distress
Author(s) -
AhlqvistBjörkroth Sari,
Vaarno Jenni,
Junttila Niina,
Pajulo Marjaterttu,
Räihä Hannele,
Niinikoski Harri,
Lagström Hanna
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.12857
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , medicine , edinburgh postnatal depression scale , distress , depression (economics) , prospective cohort study , cohort study , pregnancy , longitudinal study , gestational age , obstetrics , cohort , depressive symptoms , pediatrics , psychiatry , clinical psychology , anxiety , genetics , pathology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
This study explored the effects of mothers' and fathers' prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms and marital distress on breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding ( EBF ) duration. Material and methods This was a prospective follow‐up of a cohort sample of 873 families participating to an intensive follow‐up cohort of longitudinal Steps to the Healthy Development and Well‐being of Children study (The STEPS study) in Southwestern Finland. The depressive symptoms were evaluated by The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and marital distress by the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale at 20th gestational week and at 4 months postpartum. EBF was self‐reported real‐time and defined as an infant receiving no food or drink other than mother's breast milk since birth, except occasionally water. Results Neither parents' prenatal depressive symptoms predicted breastfeeding initiation or EBF duration. The mothers' prenatal depressive symptoms, in turn, predicted their postnatal depressive symptoms, which were associated with shorter duration of EBF . The EBF duration was shortest amongst the mothers who had depressive symptoms both pre‐ and postnatally compared to mothers who had depressive symptoms only in either time point alone (M = 1.54, 2.06 and 2.04 months, respectively). Higher prenatal maternal marital distress was associated with longer EBF duration. Conclusions The findings suggest that the continuity of maternal depressive symptoms throughout the perinatal period has adverse effect on EBF duration. Identification and treatment of mothers' depressive symptoms already during the prenatal period may improve breastfeeding practices. The finding of mothers' marital distress having positive impact on breastfeeding practices requires further investigation.