INCIDENCE AND DURATION OF BREAST-FEEDING BY PATTERN OF DELIVERY - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Objective To compare the incidence of breastfeeding according to type of delivery. Methodology Population-based cohort study of 655 children born in 1993 and followed up during the first three months of life th rough home visits. Results Breastfeeding duration was similar among ba bies born either vaginal delivery or by emergency cesarean section. Ba bies born by elective cesarean section, however, presented a three tim es higher risk of stopping breastfeeding in the first month of life, a fter adjusting for possible confounding factors (odds ratio = 3.09; 95 % CI 1.3-7.2). The increased risk did not persist into the third month of life. Conclusions It is recomended that health services pay specia l attention, in the promotion of breastfeeding, to babies born by elec tive cesarean section, as a way to avoid early weaning.