Resumo

QUEZADA-SALAZAR, Claudia Angélica; DELGADO-BECERRA, Aída; ARROYO-CABRALES, Leyla María  e  DIAZ-GARCIA, Miriam Alicia. Breastfeeding prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors in teenagers. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2008, vol.65, n.1, pp.19-25. ISSN 1665-1146.

Introduction. Teenagers have a lesser probability of initiating and continuing breastfeeding when compared with adult females. Objective: To determine the prevalence of breastfeeding, the relationship between breastfeeding and sociodemographic factors, and causes of abandonment of breastfeeding. Material. We conducted a longitudinal, analytic, cohort study of a convenience sample from April 2004 to January 2006 of teenager mothers and newborns who were followed up for 6 months, and performed central tendency measurement, and χ^2, and Fisher’s exact tests. Results. Seventy teenagers were included; teenagers, with an average age of 15 years (range 13-27 years). Sociodemographic factors were as follows: single, 51.4% and homemakers, 87.1%; economic dependence on parents, 55.7%; low socioeconomic level, 81.4%; breastfeeding exclusively during the first month, 65.7%, and breastfeeding toward the end of follow-up, 38.6%. Conclusion. Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 38.6%. Sociodemographic factors did not influence breastfeeding. Low milk production was the first breastfeeding abandonment cause.

Palavras-chave : Breastfeeding; teenagers; sociodemographic factors.