The Effect of Breast Feeding Patterns on the Child Spacing of Mothers with Child of 1-18 Month, in Tabriz city.

Abstract

Abstract: A cross sectional descriptive study carried out in order to investigate "The effect of breast feeding patterns on the child spacing". This research involved 870 mothers who had been selected by clustering random sampling method among mothers who had at least one child of 1-18 months, in Tabriz city. The measures for selection of subjects were: being under 40 years of age (upon the time of last birth giving), having pre-pregnancy regular menstruation periods (20-34 days), having no diseases that requiring continuous medicine taking, not having used permanent contraception methods, single tone and full term delivery of Index child, and not having Index child's abnormalities or diseases that may be affecting breast feeding. The means of gathering data was questionnaire, at first subjects were selected although a screening form that contained subjects conditions questions. Later on, main questionnaire filled out by the researcher from the subjects who were selected. Main questionnaire had four sections: section 1 contained mother's specifications questions, section 2 contained breast feeding questions, section 3 contained postpartum amenorrhea questions, and section 4 contained contraception questions. Analysis of data performed by statistical packages (statistical package of social science, Dorosty simple statistics), also by the use of WHO simplified methodology for carrying out a community based epidemiological assessment. The findings of research have been summarized in 63 tables and 5 figures. The results of research show that at 6 months postpartum, 82% of infants were being breast fed, at 11-13 months 76%, and at 18 months 60%. Length of mother child separation after child birth in 62.8% of cases was less than 1 hours. Initiation breast feeding within first hour were viewed in 25.5% of cases. In 40.5% of cases nothing other than mother's milk was given to the infants during the first three days. At 1-3 months postpartum, 50.4% of infants were still exclusively breast fed, and at 4-5 months this rate was 30%. The average frequency of suckling during waking and sleeping hours were 6.6 and 3 times per day, respectively, and average length of suckling was 8 minutes per bout. The level of amenorrhea at 2 months postpartum was 66%, at 4 months 48% and at 10 months 25%. The mean and median duration of postpartum amenorrhea was 5.6 and 4.3 months, respectively. After 2 months postpartum, sexual abstinence was rare. Amongst mothers who were not sexual abstaining, and not pregnant, 65.7T of non-lactating mothers, 61.7% of lactating mothers who has resumed menses, and 15.8% of amenorrhea lactating mothers were using some high effective contraceptive methods (OCP, IUD, and Condom). 1.9%%, 5.6% and 62.6% of them respectively, weren't using any contraceptive methods. By using chi square, exact fisher test, and Cochran test, the results of findings indicate the high parity, prenatal care visits in health & treatment centers, delivery in Governmental hospital or home, and prolonged breast feeding of next youngest child were positively associated with prevalence of breast feeding. Also, early initiation of breast feeding, short period of first mother child separation and not having been given any non-breast milk liquid during first 3 days to child, were significantly associated with higher prevalence of subsequent breast feeding. But, maternal and her husband's educational level, working of mother out of home were negatively correlated with breast feeding. In general, no significant association found between the prevalence of breast feeding and age of mother, occupation of her husband, kind of delivery, child's sex. Furthermore, exclusive breast feeding. Frequent suckling during waking hours, high length of suckling per bout and not using complementary milks were positively associated with prevalence of amenorrhea in lactating mothers, but no significant association found between the prevalence of postpartum amenorrhea and frequency of suckling during sleeping hours. In addition to, older and high parity and prolonged postpartum amenorrhea in next youngest child, were positively associated with prevalence of amenorrhea in lactating mothers. Finally, application of the research results has been discussed and some suggestion based on the findings of this research have been presented for improvement of current status and future researches.