Duration of Breastfeeding and Associated Maternal Factors in Women Attending Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran Publisher



Soleimani Z ; A ; Attar SN ; Ghalandarpoorattar SM ; M
Source: Pajouhan Scientific Journal Published:2025

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Identifying factors affecting breastfeeding duration can play a key role in designing effective interventions to increase this duration. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the average duration of breastfeeding and its associated factors among women attending Baqiyatallah Hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 499 women attending the Baqiyatallah Hospital clinic in 2023. Simple random sampling was used, and women with at least one child participated in this study. Data were collected through a researcher-made checklist. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to examine the relationship between variables and breastfeeding duration. Results: In this study, the mean age of participants was 34.6±7.8 years, and the mean breastfeeding duration was 12.9±8.6 months. Of the total participants, 5.2% did not breastfeed at all, and 26.2% breastfed for at least 24 months. The most common reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding included insufficient breast milk (38.3%), unintended pregnancy (22.2%), lack of spousal support and encouragement (22%), and maternal perception of inadequate nutrition (21.8%). Type of delivery, family size, socioeconomic status, and education level were also significantly associated with breastfeeding duration (P<0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of considering mothers' individual and social conditions in health and support planning. Moreover, the findings indicate that increasing breastfeeding duration requires attention to factors, such as maternal education, social support, improved economic conditions, and the promotion of natural childbirth. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.