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Assessment of breast-feeding promotion in hospitals and follow-up survey of mother–infant pairs in Germany: the SuSe Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Mathilde Kersting  and
Madeleine Dulon
Mathilde Kersting*
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Child Nutrition, Heinstück 11, D-44225 Dortmund, Germany
Madeleine Dulon
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, University of Bielefeld, PO Box 100131, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
*
*Corresponding author: Email kersting@fke-do.de
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Abstract

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Objective:

To assess breast-feeding promotion in maternity hospitals and breast-feeding prevalences during the first year of life in mother–infant pairs in Germany.

Design:

Cross-sectional assessment of breast-feeding practices in a random sample of German maternity hospitals by use of a postal questionnaire. Follow-up of mother–infant pairs recruited in the participating hospitals to assess breast-feeding prevalences and infant feeding practices by use of a telephone interview 14 days after birth and food-frequency questionnaires mailed at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 12th month of life. Use of indicators for breast-feeding proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Setting:

Nation-wide survey.

Subjects:

One hundred and seventy-seven maternity hospitals, 1717 mother–infant pairs.

Results:

There were wide variations in breast-feeding promotion in hospitals as evaluated by the practice of the '10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding' given by WHO and UNICEF for certification as a ‘Babyfriendly Hospital’. Some steps (3, 4, 8) were practised in about 90% of the hospitals, others (steps 7, 9) in only 10%. Prevalences for exclusive (total) breast-feeding as defined by WHO were: 73% (86%) at discharge, 60% (85%) at 14 days, 42% (70%) at 2 months, 33% (59%) at 4 months, 10% (48%) at 6 months, <1% (26%) at 9 months and 0 (13%) at 12 months.

Conclusions:

By use of indicators proposed by WHO and UNICEF, a differentiated insight into the breast-feeding situation in Germany has become possible. Moderate levels of breast-feeding promotion in hospitals resulted in almost satisfactory early breast-feeding prevalences but were not effective for long-term breast-feeding success in most mothers.

Keywords

Breast-feeding surveyBreast-feeding promotionMaternity hospitalsBreast-feeding prevalencesExclusive breast-feeding
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 5 , Issue 4 , August 2002 , pp. 547 - 552
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

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