Breastfeeding Practices and Postpartum Depression in Mexican Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Mariana Chávez-Tostado,
Karla Verónica Chávez-Tostado,
Gabino Cervantes-Guevara,
Guillermo Cervantes-Cardona,
Diana Mercedes Hernandez-Corona,
Tonatiuh González-Heredia,
Miriam Méndez-del Villar,
Fernanda Isadora Corona-Meraz,
Milton Omar Guzmán-Ornelas,
Francisco José Barbosa-Camacho,
Andrea Socorro Álvarez-Villaseñor,
Enrique Cervantes-Pérez,
Clotilde Fuentes-Orozco,
Natalia Guadalupe Barrera-López,
Noelia Esthela López-Bernal,
Alejandro González-Ojeda
Affiliations
Mariana Chávez-Tostado
Departamento de Reproducción, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44410, Mexico
Karla Verónica Chávez-Tostado
Departamento de Cirugía General y Endócrina, Hospital General Medio Ajusco, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
Gabino Cervantes-Guevara
Departamento de Bienestar y Desarrollo Sustentable, Centro Universitario del Norte, Universidad de Guadalajara, Colotlán 46200, Mexico
Guillermo Cervantes-Cardona
Departamento de Disciplinas Filosóficas, Metodológicas e Instrumentales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44410, Mexico
Diana Mercedes Hernandez-Corona
Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Tonatiuh González-Heredia
Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Miriam Méndez-del Villar
Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Fernanda Isadora Corona-Meraz
Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Milton Omar Guzmán-Ornelas
Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Francisco José Barbosa-Camacho
Departamento de Psiquiatría, Hospital Civil Fray Antonio Alcalde, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Andrea Socorro Álvarez-Villaseñor
Coordinación Auxiliar Médica de Investigación en Salud, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, La Paz 23060, Mexico
Enrique Cervantes-Pérez
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Clotilde Fuentes-Orozco
Unidad de Investigación Biomédica 02, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Natalia Guadalupe Barrera-López
Unidad de Investigación Biomédica 02, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Noelia Esthela López-Bernal
Unidad de Investigación Biomédica 02, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Alejandro González-Ojeda
Unidad de Investigación Biomédica 02, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
Background: Breastfeeding is a characteristic process of mammals that ensures delivery of an adequate nutritional supply to infants. It is the gold standard food source during an infant’s first months of life. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people in quarantine have experienced a wide range of feelings, which may make isolation challenging in terms of maternal health. This study focused on the prevalence of breastfeeding practices and postpartum depression (PPD) among Mexican women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 586 postpartum women who completed an online survey 4−8 weeks after delivery from April to December 2020 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The aim was to identify potentially depressed mothers according to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and describe their breastfeeding practices. Results: The mean maternal age was 30.4 ± 4.6 years, the mean EPDS score was 9.6 ± 5.0, and the PPD prevalence according EPDS scores was 27.1%. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was reported by 32.3% of mothers in the first 48 h and by 70.3% of mothers 48 h after delivery. EBF was associated with a lower prevalence of PPD during the first 48 h (p = 0.015) and after the first 48 h (p = 0.001) after delivery. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) was reported by 385 (65.7%) mothers. PPD was less frequent in mothers practicing SSC (20.3%) than it was in those not practicing SSC (40.3%) (p = 0.001). A higher percentage of mothers practiced SSC breastfed (66.9%) and used EBF (150, 79.4%) (p = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Results suggest that the pandemic emergency and restrictions imposed on the population significantly affected the well-being of mothers after birth, and that these effects may have posed risks to the mental health and emotional stability of postpartum mothers. Therefore, encouraging BF or EBF and SSC may improve or limit depressive symptoms in postpartum mothers.
