Intenção de amamentar : associação com fatores demográficos, socioeconômicos e experiência prévia de amamentação entre gestantes assistidas em atenção primária à saúde de Cajazeiras-PB

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of maternal intention to breastfeed and its duration, in addition to identifying the socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral factors related to health, previous experience with breastfeeding and obstetric history that influence the intention to breastfeed among pregnant women. We carried out a cross-sectional survey with pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy who were undergoing prenatal care in 23 basic health units in the region of Cajazeiras, Paraíba. To describe the categorical variables, we used absolute (n) and relative frequencies (%). For associations between maternal intention to breastfeed and exposure variables, the Pearson Chi-Square test was used. Of the 99 pregnant women who participated in the study, the majority (79.80%) were between 18 and 34 years old and all 99 (100%) expressed the intention to breastfeed. Most of them (40.40%) planned to breastfeed for up to 6 months. The pregnant women most likely to plan to breastfeed for up to 6 months were those aged between 18 and 34 years old, completed high school, belonging to the mixed race, who had a regular job or with a fixed schedule, who lived with a partner, who did not receive assistance from public policies or, when they received it, it was worth R$600.00 for up to 5 years or more. Furthermore, the intention to breastfeed for up to 6 months was greater when the pregnant woman herself or her partner was the head of the household. Other factors that were associated with a greater intention to breastfeed for up to 6 months included the "other" occupation, the child's father's age of up to 35 years, the positive reaction to the news of the pregnancy, living in a brick house rented with 5 rooms, a family with 1 to 3 residents, non-use of tobacco during pregnancy, absence of smokers in the household, never having consumed alcoholic beverages, being primiparous, having no previous living children, having been breastfed during childhood, have previous experience with breastfeeding, have an unplanned pregnancy, have had prenatal care at a Basic Health Unit and have the first prenatal consultation carried out between 5 and 8 weeks of gestation, as well as having support and agreement partner in relation to breastfeeding. It is concluded that breastfeeding is an act that is beneficial for the mother and her baby, and the intention to breastfeed is influenced by factors that are often unrelated to the woman, however, if properly guided by the health system, the intention breastfeeding tends to be greater and the benefits are obviously more evident in the long term.