The Impact of Labor Mismatch on Achieving Breastfeeding Goals Among Non-Hispanic Black Women in North Carolina

Objectives

Despite growing attention on the issue, racial disparities in birth and breastfeeding outcomes in the United States persist. However, few biocultural studies have explored the interaction between these outcomes specifically in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) women. The present study examines the risks for a mismatch between women's birth intent and birth outcome (labor mismatch) and its impact on achieving their breastfeeding goals.

Materials and Methods

This study used data from the Mothers & Others study, a two-group randomized control trial aimed at reducing rapid weight gain among NHB infants. Data were collected from self-identified NHB women via survey by peer educators at enrollment and from postpartum home visits at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. Logistic regression was used to test for risks for labor mismatch and whether a labor mismatch was associated with participants' achievement of breastfeeding goals, controlling for BMI, delivery location, education, age, low-income status, previous breastfeeding experience, WIC status, and being in the intervention group.

Results

123 of the 265 participants (47.49%) had a labor mismatch. In adjusted regression models, maternal BMI, education, and low-income status were associated with labor mismatch. We did not find that a labor mismatch was associated with participants achieving their breastfeeding goals. We did find that having a pre-pregnancy BMI over 25 and a high-school education were significantly associated with breastfeeding shorter than mothers intended.

Discussion

Though labor mismatch was not associated with breastfeeding outcomes, our results suggest that income, education, and BMI are significant for NHB women achieving their birth and breastfeeding goals.