Effect of gestation on initiation and duration of breastfeeding.
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.
Donath
S M
SM
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Amir
L H
LH
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