-Econômico no Aleitamento Materno em Salvador, Bahia Influence of the Socioeconomic Status in Breastfeeding in Salvador, Bahia

O aleitamento materno e essencial para o adequado desenvolvimento e saude da crianca. A Organizacao Mundial de Saude preconiza que o aleitamento materno exclusivo ocorra ate o sexto mes de vida e que, a partir dessa idade, a crianca deve receber alimentos complementares. Para estudar a prevalencia do aleitamento materno exclusivo e a duracao do aleitamento total na cidade de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil, foi realizado um estudo piloto de corte transversal com 69 maes atendidas em servicos pediatricos (publico e conveniado). Foi avaliada a influencia das condicoes socioeconomicas, culturais e de suporte as maes sobre o padrao de aleitamento.Observou-se nesta amostra uma mediana de aleitamento materno exclusivo de 90 dias, superando a mediana nacional de 23 dias. Em relacao a duracao do aleitamento, esse estudo obteve resultados semelhantes aos do Brasil (300 dias). Embora nao tenha sido encontrada significância estatistica, a menor escolaridade dos pais, a ausencia da figura paterna, a falta de orientacao sobre aleitamento materno na maternidade e o uso de mamadeiras aumentaram o risco de desmame precoce na populacao estudada. Foi encontrado resultado estatisticamente significante (p: 0,027; IC: 95%) entre as criancas que usaram e as que nao usaram chupeta, demonstrando que o seu uso e fator determinante de desmame precoce, assim como a falta de orientacao do pediatra durante as consultas de puericultura (p: 0,03). Os resultados obtidos enfatizam a necessidade de se buscar medidas para orientar e incentivar a pratica de aleitamento entre as mulheres, principalmente durante a assistencia pos-natal, por meio da ampliacao da Iniciativa Hospital Amigo da Crianca (IHAC) e do acesso a puericultura de forma sistematica. Palavras-chave: aleitamento materno, leite humano, nutricao infantil, socio-economico. Breastfeeding is essential for appropriate development and health of the child. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the exclusive breastfeeding should be offered until the sixth month of life and after that period, the baby should receive complementary food. In order to evaluate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and non-exclusive breastfeeding in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, a pilot prevalence study was made with 69 mothers who were receiving medical care in public and prived pediatric services. The influence of socioeconomic, cultural factors and type of support to the mothers over/in breastfeeding was evaluated . It was observed a 90 days median in this sample for exclusive breastfeeding, overwhelming national median of 23 days. About non-exclusive breastfeeding, this study has found similar results with those from Brazil (300 days). Although it wasn’t statistically significant, it was found that lower parent educational level, the father’s absence, the lack of orientation about breastfeeding at the maternity, and the use of bottle increases the early weaning risk in this population. It was found a statistically significance (p:0.027; CI:95%) among the children that used and didn’t use pacifier, evidencing that it’s use is a determining factor of early weaning, as well as the lack of orientation of the pediatrician during pediatric consultations (p:0.03). The results obtained confirm the necessity of implementing measures in order to orientate and incentive the practice of breastfeeding among women, especially during postnatal period, broading the Child’s Friend Hospital Program and assuring the access to pediatric assistance.