Neema Pithia1, Ashley Dong2, Tristan Grogan3, Sparsha Govardhan4, Kara L Calkins4. 1. UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. 2. Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA. 3. Department of Medicine, Statistics Core, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. 4. Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Research Center of the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Abstract
Introduction: Breast milk is the ideal food for infants. However, at 6 months of age, <25% of infants in the United States are exclusively breastfed. While racial disparities in breastfeeding have been documented, questions remain about the contributions of paternal race and ethnicity to breastfeeding. Materials and Methods: This single-site, prospective study investigated the association of parental characteristics and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). EBF and non-EBF (N-EBF) infants who were >35 weeks gestational age were compared at nursery discharge and ∼30 days of age. Results: At nursery discharge (n = 499), mean birth weight (±standard deviation [SD]) was greater in the EBF versus N-EBF cohort (3.4 ± 0.4 versus 3.3 ± 0.5 kg, p = 0.01). When compared to the N-EBF cohort, infants in the EBF cohort were significantly more likely to have the following characteristics: (1) vaginal birth; (2) non-Hispanic parents; (3) parents with higher socioeconomic status, and (4) parents who are English-speaking (p < 0.01 for all). Similar findings persisted at 30 days. Non-Hispanic parents were 2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-3.3) and 3.5 (95% CI: 1.5-7.9) times more likely to exclusively breastfeed than Hispanic parents at nursery discharge and 30 days, respectively. At nursery discharge, families with a Hispanic mother and non-Hispanic father were more likely to EBF than families with a Hispanic mother and father (odds ratio 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.6). In multivariate model, parental ethnicity was associated with EBF at discharge (p = 0.03) and 30 days (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Paternal ethnicity may influence EBF. Addressing disparities in EBF may warrant investigations into culturally inclusive and family-centered interventions.
Introduction: Breast milk is the ideal food for infants. However, at 6 months of age, <25% of infants in the United States are exclusively breastfed. While racial disparities in breastfeeding have been documented, questions remain about the contributions of paternal race and ethnicity to breastfeeding. Materials and Methods: This single-site, prospective study investigated the association of parental characteristics and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). EBF and non-EBF (N-EBF) infants who were >35 weeks gestational age were compared at nursery discharge and ∼30 days of age. Results: At nursery discharge (n = 499), mean birth weight (±standard deviation [SD]) was greater in the EBF versus N-EBF cohort (3.4 ± 0.4 versus 3.3 ± 0.5 kg, p = 0.01). When compared to the N-EBF cohort, infants in the EBF cohort were significantly more likely to have the following characteristics: (1) vaginal birth; (2) non-Hispanic parents; (3) parents with higher socioeconomic status, and (4) parents who are English-speaking (p < 0.01 for all). Similar findings persisted at 30 days. Non-Hispanic parents were 2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-3.3) and 3.5 (95% CI: 1.5-7.9) times more likely to exclusively breastfeed than Hispanic parents at nursery discharge and 30 days, respectively. At nursery discharge, families with a Hispanic mother and non-Hispanic father were more likely to EBF than families with a Hispanic mother and father (odds ratio 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.6). In multivariate model, parental ethnicity was associated with EBF at discharge (p = 0.03) and 30 days (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Paternal ethnicity may influence EBF. Addressing disparities in EBF may warrant investigations into culturally inclusive and family-centered interventions.
Authors: Melissa C Bartick; Eleanor Bimla Schwarz; Brittany D Green; Briana J Jegier; Arnold G Reinhold; Tarah T Colaizy; Debra L Bogen; Andrew J Schaefer; Alison M Stuebe Journal: Matern Child Nutr Date: 2016-09-19 Impact factor: 3.092
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Authors: Bruce Maycock; Yvonne L Hauck; Peter Howat; Sharyn Burns; Colin W Binns; Jenny Tohotoa Journal: Int Breastfeed J Date: 2009-11-29 Impact factor: 3.461