Women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy had 11% higher odds of never breastfeeding and were 17% more likely to stop early, according to a study published July 18 in JAMA Network Open.
The study, led by researchers from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. and involving more than 200,00 women, used data from women who gave birth between 2016 and 2021 and completed the CDC’s Prevention Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey by 2022, focusing on breastfeeding and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. HDP was defined by self-reported high blood pressure, preeclampsia or eclampsia. Researchers examined breastfeeding initiation and duration, controlling for factors such as age, insurance, income, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking, delivery type and infant birth weight, using standardized categories for race and ethnicity.
Breastfeeding lasted a median of 17 weeks less for women with HDP. Researchers wrote that better support could help these patients access the long-term health benefits of breastfeeding.
The researchers said the findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, especially among high-risk groups disproportionately affected by HDP and low breastfeeding rates.
