The Association Between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Breastfeeding Duration in Iranian Women

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization has recommended exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Breastfeeding success may be influenced by different factors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and breastfeeding duration in Iranian mothers. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at Arash Women's Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The analysis included 593 women, followed from pregnancy until 6 months postpartum. A logistic regression model was used to determine the association between prepregnancy BMI and exclusive breastfeeding duration and initiation. Results: Women with prepregnancy BMI above 25 kg/m2 had a higher risk (almost twice) of not initiating breastfeeding or breastfeeding for less than 1 month after delivery, compared to pregnant women who had a normal weight. In this study, adjustments were made for confounding factors, such as age, education level, mode of delivery, mother's opinion of breastfeeding, and mother's occupation. Conclusions: This study showed that women who had a normal prepregnancy weight were more likely to continue breastfeeding for 6 months, while obese and overweight women had a shorter duration of breastfeeding in comparison with normal-weight women.