Parents’ health beliefs influence breastfeeding patterns among Iranian women

Abstract EN

Objectives: To determine factors related to breastfeeding and its perceived health benefits among Iranian mothers.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using 240 postpartum women who were selected randomly from eight public health care centers in Hamadan, Iran, in 2012.

Mothers who breastfed (BF) and mothers who never breastfed (NBF) were given a structured questionnaire to collect their demographic data and information regarding their health beliefs and attitude towards child-rearing.

Descriptive and logistic regression were used for data analysis.

Results: The mean length of breastfeeding was 11.6 (standard deviation=12.5) weeks.

There was no difference in demographic variables, such as age, type of medical insurance, number of living children, employment, education, and household income (p>0.050), between mothers that breastfed and those that did not.

Mothers’ perception of the severity of child illness was higher in those who breastfed than those who never breastfed (p=0.050).

In contrast, BF mothers had higher perceived confidence of medical care to prevent diseases (p<0.050) and a higher perception of reverse parent-child roles than NBF mothers (p<0.050).

Conclusion: Mothers’ health beliefs and attitude to parenting has a significant role in choosing to breastfeed.

Physicians and healthcare providers may provide supportive information that influence a mother’s breastfeeding behavior.