title: Effect of gestation on initiation and duration of breastfeeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gestation on initiation and duration of breastfeeding in Australian infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children recruited a national sample of children born between March 2003 and February 2004 (n = 3600 in this multivariate sample).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Breastfeeding initiation was lower for infants of 35-36 weeks' gestation (88.2%) than 37-39 weeks' gestation (92.0%) and > or =40 weeks' gestation (93.9%). At 6 months, 41.2% of infants 35-36 weeks' gestation were breastfeeding compared with 54.5% of 37-39 weeks' gestation infants and 60.5% of infants born > or =40 weeks. Compared with infants born > or =40 weeks, infants born at 35-36 weeks had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.51 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.76) and infants born at 37-39 weeks had an adjusted OR of 0.80 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.93) of breastfeeding at 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infants born before 40 weeks are at greater risk of being artificially fed than infants born > or =40 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Donath
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Amir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008423:Maternal Age; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult