Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101259

Anne Merewood, MA, IBCLC¹, Laura Beth Chamberlain, BA, IBCLC², Barbara L. Philipp, MD, IBCLC¹, John T. Cook, PhD¹, Kirsten Malone, BA, IBCLC², and Howard Bauchner, MD, MPH¹. (1) Division of General Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Maternity Building, 4th Floor, 91 East Concord St., Boston, MA 02118, 617-414-6455, anne.merewood@bmc.org, (2) The Breastfeeding Center, Boston Medical Center, YACC 5, 860 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02467

Overview: This abstract reports final data from an RCT presented as an APHA poster in preliminary form in 2004. New data show that breastfeeding duration and milk volume increased among intervention women, but not exclusivity. Background: Human milk is critical for premature infants, but breastfeeding rates for impoverished women with prematures are low. Peer counseling programs increase breastfeeding duration among term infants in populations who do not traditionally breastfeed. Objective: To determine whether peers increase breastfeeding duration and exclusivity in prematures. Design/Methods: Women with otherwise healthy premature infants between 26 and 37 weeks gestational age were randomized to peer support within 72 hours of birth, and thereafter weekly for 6 weeks (IG), or to standard of care (CG). Feeding status was assessed by a blinded research assistant at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks postpartum. Results: 101 mother-infant pairs were enrolled. Groups were equivalent on all measured sociodemographic factors. At each outcome point, IG was significantly more likely to receive any amount of breastmilk (e.g. at 4 weeks IG 98% vs CG 79% (p=0.005); at 8 weeks IG 83% vs CG 57% (p= 0.007. A survival curve indicated a significant positive relationship between IG and any breastmilk (p<0.001). Separate survival curves showed no significant relationship between IG and exclusive breastfeeding, but did show a significant positive relationship between IG and mother feeding mostly (over 50%) breast milk (p= 0.002). Conclusions: Peer counselors significantly increased breastfeeding duration and volume, but not exclusivity. among premature infants in an inner-city NICU.

Learning Objectives:

• Learner will identify barriers to breastfeeding premature infants among low income women
• Learner will be able to describe effectiveness of peer counseling strategies
• Learner will identify effect of peer counselor on breastfeeding duration, amount, and exclusivity

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Infant Mortality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation