Breastfeeding knowledge and relation to prevalence ; Conhecimentos sobre aleitamento e a relação com a sua prevalência ; Conocimientos sobre lactancia y relación con su prevalencia

Objective: Determine the level of knowledge about maternal breastfeeding and analyze to what extent this influences the intention to breastfeed after the introduction of infant feeding at the 6th and 16th weeks and at 6 months postpartum. Method: Prospective descriptive study conducted with pregnant women in Galicia (Spain). By means of a self-filling questionnaire, data were collected on the intention of the woman to feed the newborn and their knowledge about breastfeeding. Pregnant women were also contacted at the 6th and 16th weeks and at 6 months postpartum to know the type of feeding they gave their child. Results: 297 pregnant women participated in the study, of which 90.4% wanted to exclusively breastfeed their baby, however, only 28.2% continued up to 6 months. The level of knowledge about breastfeeding was regular and it was observed that it influences both the intention and the type of feeding of the newborn, thus it is an element to be considered when developing educational strategies aimed at increasing breastfeeding rates. Conclusion:The level of pregnant women’s knowledge about breastfeeding is regular and influences the choice of how to feed their babies and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Strategies should be implemented to increase knowledge and improve breastfeeding rates. ; Objetivo:Determinar el nivel de conocimientos sobre lactancia materna de las gestantes y analizar en qué medida éste influye en la intención de amamantar y en la posterior alimentación del lactante a las 6 y 16 semanas y a los 6 meses posparto. Método: Estudio descriptivo prospectivo, realizado con gestantes en Galicia (España). Mediante un cuestionario autocumplimentado se recogieron datos sobre la intención de la mujer de alimentar al recién nacido y sus conocimientos sobre lactancia materna. Se contactó con las gestantes a las 6 y 16 semanas y a los 6 meses posparto para conocer el tipo de alimentación que daban a su hijo. Resultados:Participaron en el estudio 297 gestantes, de las cuales el 90,4% deseaba ...