Prenatal care and exclusive breastfeeding in primary health care in a municipality in the Southwest of Bahia

Abstract

Introduction: exclusive breastfeeding should be promoted and strengthened in all public spheres, especially in Primary Health Care (PHC), which has prenatal care as an important element for the assistance and monitoring of women during pregnancy. Objective: to identify the link between prenatal care and exclusive breastfeeding in children younger than six months followed up in the PHC in a municipality in the Southwest of Bahia. Methodology: cross-sectional study, with 75 mothers/children aged zero to six months enrolled in the Growth and Development program of the health service in the municipality of Jequié, Bahia, from March to August 2018. Pearson's Chi-Square Test was used to assess the association between prenatal care variables and exclusive breastfeeding. Results: the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding recorded in this study was 36%. It was observed that mothers with more than six prenatal consultations during pregnancy had a higher prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (55.2%; p=0.019). The variable guidance on exclusive breastfeeding during prenatal care was not statistically associated with the outcome (0.457), however it was descriptively identified that mothers who received guidance during prenatal care tended to breastfeed exclusively (56.7%; p= 0.457 ). Conclusion: prenatal care can be considered a protective element in the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, and therefore the promotion and support of breastfeeding should be strengthened in PHC.