295 - La Leche Materna es Eterna: A prenatal and postnatal lactation study in Latino women

Poster Number: 295
Publication Number: 295.407

Sarah Sobik, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, United States; Aline Andres, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States; Irma Cardenas, UAMS COM Peds, Little Rock, AR, United States; Emily Pankey, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR, United States; Caroline Head, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Bryant, AR, United States; Misty Virmani, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, United States

Background: Human milk is considered the optimal source of nutrition for all infants. Of importance, race and ethnic health disparities in lactation initiation and duration can have very important social and long-term health implications for both mothers and infants. It is well known that Latino women have higher rates of lactation initiation, however many Hispanic women receive marginal lactation support and education prenatally and postnatal, and even further, minimal lactation support is given in their primary language. Compared to non-Hispanic whites (85.5%), Latinas have a slightly higher rate of lactation initiation (87.4%), however by 6 months’ postpartum Hispanic women have a much lower rate of exclusively feeding human milk (18.2%) compared to white non-Hispanic women (22.5%). Lactation education is recognized as an extremely important strategy to improve lactation practices among minority women and there is evidence that Hispanic mothers prefer communication in Spanish when receiving lactation education and support.

Objective: The overall goal of this pilot study is to improve lactation initiation rates, exclusivity, and breastfeeding duration in a high risk and low-income Hispanic population in central Arkansas.

Design/Methods: A pilot study is currently enrolling pregnant Hispanic women in central Arkansas entering the third trimester. Baseline feeding intention data is collected and women are randomized into an intervention group or a control group. Participants enrolled into the intervention participate in two prenatal breastfeeding education classes taught by a Spanish-speaking certified lactation counselor (CLC), and they receive postnatal lactation support in-person and via telephone. Participants in the control group receive standard of care. Participants in the intervention and control groups report lactation successes and challenges during postpartum months 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Results: Results will demonstrate whether prenatal education and ongoing lactation support increases lactation initiation, exclusivity, and duration, decrease the need for non-medical infant formula use, and improve health outcomes in Latina mothers and children.

Conclusion(s): Findings from this study will lay a foundation for a larger study in the future to focus on the effectiveness of both prenatal and postnatal lactation support interventions in low-income Hispanic women.