SECULAR TRENDS IN BREAST-FEEDING AND PARENTAL SMOKING

To explore the association between smoking and breastfeeding, we obtai ned data from a retrospective questionnaire-based national survey comp rising a random sample (n = 34 799) of all mothers giving birth in Nor way 1970-91. Variables studied were postpartum smoking habits for both parents, duration of breastfeeding, infant's year of birth and parent al age. The response rate was 70% (n = 24 438), During the study perio d, the maternal postpartum smoking prevalence decreased from 38% to 26 %. The proportion breastfeeding at 6 months increased from 15% to 44% among smokers, and from 30% to 72% among nonsmokers. In spite of a con siderable increase in breastfeeding both among smokers and non-smokers , the proportion of breastfeeding, non-smoking women at 6 months was t wice that of smoking women during the whole period. Furthermore, the d uration of breastfeeding was shorter among young mothers and when the fathers were smoking. There was epidemiological evidence that the effe ct on breastfeeding of smoking might represent both biological and soc ial mechanisms.