There are little up-to-date data available on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding in Lithuania. The aim of our study was to examine the factors that could influence exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life. In 2016, a survey was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of Vilnius University Hospital, Santaros Klinikos. Women in postnatal wards were opportunistically offered questionnaires and later followed up by telephone interviews at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum. We used binary logistic regression to determine the factors that impacted exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months following childbirth. Of 475 eligible women that were approached, a total of 447 women were recruited, with response rates of 76.1, 71.4 and 67.0% at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, respectively. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding through the 6 month postpartum period was 39.8%. Exclusive breastfeeding during days 2 to 4 postpartum was positively influenced by factors such as a natural childbirth, the practice of breastfeeding on demand and maternal self-confidence in breastfeeding. Subsequently, exclusive breastfeeding on demand in the immediate postpartum period and exclusive breastfeeding for up to 3 months were associated with successful exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months. However, the adverse factors that limited the success and duration of exclusive breastfeeding included free samples of human milk substitutes or advertising at primary healthcare centers 6 weeks after childbirth, pacifier use 6 months after childbirth, as well as amniotomy for labor induction. Our research demonstrated that exclusive breastfeeding is impacted in both directions by a range of factors during particular periods after delivery. One of the novel findings was the adverse influence of amniotomy for labor induction on exclusive breastfeeding rates. Taking into account diverse factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding and the absence of a single way to promote it, there is a crucial need to increase the incidence of exclusive breastfeeding until infants reach the age of 6 months.

中文翻译：

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前六个月纯母乳喂养的预测因素：立陶宛一家三级医院连续四次调查

关于立陶宛纯母乳喂养持续时间的最新数据很少。我们研究的目的是检查可能影响出生后前 6 个月纯母乳喂养的因素。2016 年，在 Santaros Klinikos 维尔纽斯大学医院的妇产科诊所进行了一项调查。产后病房的妇女被随机提供问卷调查，随后在产后 6 周、3 个月和 6 个月时进行电话采访。我们使用二元逻辑回归来确定影响分娩后前 6 个月纯母乳喂养的因素。在接触的 475 名符合条件的女性中，共招募了 447 名女性，产后 6 周、3 个月和 6 个月的反应率分别为 76.1%、71.4% 和 67.0%。产后 6 个月纯母乳喂养的流行率为 39.8%。产后第 2 至 4 天的纯母乳喂养受到自然分娩、按需母乳喂养的做法和母亲对母乳喂养的自信等因素的积极影响。随后，产后即刻按需进行纯母乳喂养和长达 3 个月的纯母乳喂养与长达 6 个月的成功纯母乳喂养相关。然而，限制纯母乳喂养成功和持续时间的不利因素包括产后 6 周免费母乳替代品样品或初级保健中心的广告、产后 6 个月使用安抚奶嘴以及引产的羊膜切开术。我们的研究表明，在分娩后的特定时期，纯母乳喂养受到一系列因素的双向影响。一项新发现是人工引产的羊膜切开术对纯母乳喂养率的不利影响。考虑到影响纯母乳喂养的多种因素以及缺乏单一的推广方式，迫切需要增加纯母乳喂养的发生率，直到婴儿达到 6 个月大。