Assessment of maternal nutritional condition and duration of breast-feeding

The nutritional condition of one hundred and ninety (190) low income parturients of the city of S. Paulo (Brazil) was measured and correlated to the duration of breast-feeding. The nutritional status was measured using the weight for height adequacy ratio. The role of health services in the weaning process was also investigated. The prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition in the pre-gestational, post-delivery and post-weaning periods was described and the nutritional status pattern during these periods was discussed: only the non-primiparous group of women showed a statistically significant difference in their nutritional status as between the three periods; no relationship between the mother's nutritional status and the duration of breast-feeding was observed. Health services' activities, and pre-natal and nursery routines were analized and showed a qualitative faillure that best explains the early weaning in the sample population studied.

Breast feeding; Pregnancy; Weaning