Korean J Perinatol.  2003 Sep;14(3):290-295.

Maternal Anxiety related to Medication during Lactation and the Breast Feeding Rate

• Cha SH
• Han JY
• Kim HS
• Jeon SY
• Huh YH
• Lee KJ
• Ahn HK
• Choi JS
• Kim KA
• Shin SM

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine the type and frequency of medication taken by breast-feeding women and to evaluate the effects of maternal anxiety related to medication during lactation on the breast-feeding rate.
METHODS
From April 15 to May 15 2003, we conducted a survey with a prepared questionnaire on ninety-one mothers who visited the obstetric clinics of Samsung Cheil hospital at eight weeks after delivery. The questionnaire contained information about parity, mode of delivery, whether to feed breast-milk, and the type and frequency of medicinal exposure. We also asked the degree of perceived adverse effects on her baby associated with maternal medication using 10cm visual analogue scale.
RESULTS
The mean age of respondents was thirty-one years and the mean number of children born to the respondents was 1.3. At the eighth week after delivery the breast-feeding rate was 65.9%. The breast-feeding rate was not related to maternal age or the number of children but rather, the mode of delivery, which was 76.9% in NSVD, 70.0% in vaginal delivery with labor induction and 50% in cesarean delivery(P<0.05). The frequency of maternal medication intake during lactation was 50%. The most frequent type of medicine was herb medicine (36.7%). The average score of perceived adverse effect on a respondent's baby during breast-feeding was about 49% in total, which was 46.5% in NSVD, 48.9% in vaginal delivery with labor induction, and 51.2% in cesarean delivery.
CONCLUSION
Most nursing mothers think that their medications during lactation affect adversely their babies, who, in turn, may be associated with the decrease of breast-feeding rate.

Keyword

Breast-feeding; Maternal Anxiety for medication

MeSH Terms

Anxiety*
Breast Feeding*
Breast*
Child
Surveys and Questionnaires
Female
Humans
Lactation*
Maternal Age
Mothers
Nursing
Parity