Intent to breastfeed: A population-based perspective

Background: Prenatal maternal intent to breastfeed can indicate postnatal breastfeeding practices and may serve to indicate potential barriers to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding rates in West Virginia, a primarily rural state, are among the lowest in the United States, and minimal research has been published to date on population-based prenatal intent to breastfeed among rural women. Methods: Secondary data analysis of population-based data was conducted using two state-linked datasets. State data included all live singleton births from at least 20 weeks of gestation in West Virginia from 2004 to 2006, for a total of 52,899 births. Results: Results from the logistic regression model for the population-based study indicate that variables predicting intent to breastfeed among pregnant women in West Virginia include insurance status, maternal education, maternal age, parity, marital status, timing of prenatal care initiation, and prenatal smoking status. Conclusions: Prenatal identification of characteristics associated with lack of intent to breastfeed can serve to inform healthcare providers of women who are at risk for not breastfeeding for directed breastfeeding promotion and intervention, complementing education of healthy lifestyle choices such as breastfeeding promotion with smoking cessation.