[Breast feeding at maternity hospitals in France in 1995. National perinatal survey].
The objectives of the study were to estimate the current level of breast-feeding at hospital discharge in France, and to identify maternal factors and characteristics of the pregnancy and delivery associated with breast-feeding.


METHODS
The sample included all births during 1 week in France in 1995 (n = 12,179 babies). The data were collected during the postnatal stay in hospital. Factors associated with breast-feeding were identified, using bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression. As the relations between the studied factors and breast-feeding differed between French women and women of foreign nationality, multivariate analysis was carried out separately in the two groups.


RESULTS
In 1995, 52% of babies were breastfed at hospital discharge, including 10% of babies partially breastfed. Breastfeeding was more common among women of foreign nationality than among French women, 76 vs 49%. In both groups, breastfeeding was more common among older women, women with a high level of education or a qualified occupation; breastfeeding was also more frequent among non smokers during pregnancy and among women who attended antenatal classes. On the contrary, among French women, induction of labour and delivery in a small hospital were associated with a low level of breastfeeding; among women of foreign nationality, a low level of breastfeeding was observed for unmarried women, women who had an induction or a caesarean section, and those who delivered in a private hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
France was at the lowest level among Western countries for which national data on breastfeeding were available. Efforts to promote breastfeeding are needed, both towards sub-groups of pregnant women and towards health professionals. Maternity hospitals should provide support to breastfeeding mothers, and avoid practices which may affect breastfeeding.
Crost
M
M
Inserm Unité 149, Villejuif, France.
Kaminski
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003625:Data Collection; D004493:Education; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009790:Occupations; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking