Interventions to Improve Breastfeeding Outcomes from Six Weeks to Six Months: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In the United States, breastfeeding duration and exclusivity rates are not at ideal levels. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effects of education and support interventions during the third trimester, immediate postpartum, and the first six months of life on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity from six weeks to six months. Inclusion criteria were (a) randomized controlled trials or controlled clinical trials, (b) pregnant and/or postpartum women, (c) lactation education and support interventions, (d) measurement of breastfeeding outcomes during the first six months, and (e) published between 2008 and 2020. Twenty articles (21 studies) were reviewed. Fourteen studies employed interventions that resulted in significant differences in breastfeeding outcomes between groups. Common study weaknesses included limited use of a theoretical model, incomplete description of the intervention, and inconsistent outcome definitions and measurements. Based on these results recommendations for future breastfeeding interventions were derived.