title: Breast-feeding in women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Breast feeding is particularly important and difficult in children born prematurely, especially after hypertensive diseases in pregnancies (HDP). Therefore, we aimed to investigate breast feeding in women who developed HDP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on breast-feeding was collected within a nationwide research project on psychosocial factors in HDP. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 2600 women with a suspected history of HDP and 1233 controls. After matching and confirming diagnosis according to ISSHP criteria, 877 women with HDP and 623 controls were included into the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control women initiated (48.9/39.2%; P<0.001) and continued (42.2/37.2%; P<0.005) breast-feeding significantly more often than women with HDP. This holds particularly for women who developed HELLP syndrome (48.9/34.7%; P<0.0001, 42.2/33.5%; P<0.0001). A delivery before the 32(nd) gestational week (19.5/81.8%; P<0.0001) and a birth weight of less than 1500 g (18.8/75%; P<0.0001) were associated with the decision not to breast-feed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women affected by HDP breast fed significantly less often than control women. This effect is at least partly caused by the increased rate of prematurity. Encouraging and supporting these women in breast-feeding is important to improve neonatal physical and mental development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. Brigitte.Leeners@USZ.ch
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leeners
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuse
authors.forename: Peruka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumaier-Wagner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires