title: Breastfeeding during the first hour of life and neonatal mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the correlation between breastfeeding in the first hour of life with neonatal mortality rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study used secondary data from 67 countries, obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Initially, for data analysis, Spearman Correlation (95% CI) and Kernel graphical analysis were employed, followed by a Negative Binomial Pois- son regression model, adjusted for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Breastfeeding within the first hour of life was negatively correlated with neo- natal mortality (Spearman's Rho = -0.245, p = 0.046), and this correlation was stronger among countries with more than 29 neonatal deaths per 1000 newborns (Spearman's Rho = -0.327, p = 0.048). According to the statistical model, countries with the lowest breastfeeding tertiles had 24% higher neonatal mortality rates (Rate ratio = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.07-1.44, p < 0.05), even when adjusted for potential confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The protective effect of breastfeeding during the first hour of life on neo- natal mortality in this ecological study is consistent with findings from previous observa- tional studies, indicating the importance of adopting breastfeeding within the first hour as a routine neonatal care practice.
authors: Programa de Pós-graduação da Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca ENSP, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Departamento de Nutrição Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. cristianoboccolini@yahoo.com.br
authors: Cristiano Siqueira
authors: CS
authors: Boccolini
authors: Márcia Lazaro de
authors: ML
authors: Carvalho
authors: Maria Inês Couto de
authors: MI
authors: Oliveira
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Pérez-Escamilla
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013997:Time Factors