Factors Affecting Breastfeeding Discontinuation Among Employed Mothers in Malaysia
Author Information
Author(s): Amin Rahmah Mohd, Said Zakiah Mohd, Sutan Rosnah, Shah Shamsul Azhar, Darus Azlan, Shamsuddin Khadijah
Primary Institution: UKM Medical Centre
Hypothesis
What factors contribute to the discontinuation of breastfeeding among employed mothers in Malaysia?
Conclusion
Workplaces need to provide better breastfeeding facilities and flexible time for mothers to express milk to support breastfeeding.
Supporting Evidence
- 51% of the mothers in the study discontinued breastfeeding.
- 54% of those who stopped breastfeeding did so within three months.
- Chinese and Indian mothers had a higher risk of discontinuing breastfeeding compared to Malay mothers.
Takeaway
Many working moms in Malaysia stop breastfeeding because their jobs don't let them take breaks or have places to pump milk.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire was conducted among employed mothers with children aged 3 to 12 months at government health clinics.
Limitations
The study did not collect the age of infants at the time of the survey, which could have provided more context for breastfeeding discontinuation.
Participant Demographics
71% of participants were aged between 25 and 35 years, with 74% Malays, 17% Chinese, and 7% Indians.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.7, 7.8 for Chinese; 95% CI: 1.9, 27.4 for Indian mothers.
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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