Maternal factors influencing the decision to breastfeed newborns conceived with IVF.
OBJECTIVE
The breastfeeding initiation rate is extremely disparate worldwide and remains low in France, with a breastfeeding initiation rate of 60.2%. Some studies have reported increased early parenting difficulties in women who conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Our study had two main objectives: (1) to determine by a retrospective chart review the demographic and medical factors associated with breastfeeding versus formula feeding in women who had undergone IVF and (2) to assess by survey study the reasons for the infant feeding decision (breastfeeding versus formula feeding) for women who conceived by IVF.


METHODS
By telephone interviews, we conducted a longitudinal nonexperimental cohort study of French women who had a live birth after IVF. Fertility data and obstetric outcomes were collected from individual medical records.


RESULTS
Among women who had a live birth after IVF (n=73), 63% (n=46) initiated breastfeeding for a mean duration of 6.2±6.2 months. In our IVF population, the breastfeeding initiation rate was similar to that in the general French population. The following three factors were found to have a significant negative influence on breastfeeding initiation: duration of infertility greater than 2 years, cesarean delivery, and history of formula feeding when the women themselves were newborns.


CONCLUSIONS
Long duration of infertility and history of cesarean delivery after IVF negatively influenced the breastfeeding initiation rate. For this subgroup of patients, postpartum care should be enhanced to support the early mother-baby relationship and promote breastfeeding.
1 Ecole Universitaire de Maïeutique Marseille Méditerranée, Aix Marseille Université , Marseille, France .
Claire
C
Castelli
Jeanne
J
Perrin
Xavier
X
Thirion
Florence
F
Comte
Marc
M
Gamerre
Blandine
B
Courbiere
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000523:psychology*; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D033182:Intention; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires