title: Characteristics of teenage mothers and predictors of breastfeeding initiation in the Michigan WIC Program in 1995. Women, Infants, and Children.
abstract: Although breast milk is recommended as the optimal source of infant nutrition, breastfeeding initiation is below recommended levels, especially among teenage mothers. Breastfeeding initiation rates among Michigan (US) teenage mothers (12-19 y) were compared by demographics and health behaviors. Multivariate analyses determined which factors were significant independent predictors of breastfeeding initiation among teenage mothers enrolled prenatally in the Michigan Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in 1995. Significant predictors independently associated with breastfeeding initiation were race/ethnicity, education, marital status, postpartum anemia status, parity, prenatal trimester of WIC enrollment, and smoking. The strongest predictor of breastfeeding initiation differed for white mothers (positive predictor: education beyond high school [OR = 3.13]) and black mothers (negative predictor: multiparous [OR = 0.25]). Initiation rates for this population of teenage mothers fall below the national average for mothers of all ages and the US Healthy People 2010 goals. Research is needed concerning how breastfeeding support and education can be improved to reach the US national health goals.
authors.forename: Yi Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Emily Rose
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Won O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008824:Michigan; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data