Participant Experiences in a Breastmilk Biomonitoring Study
Author Information
Author(s): Nerissa Wu, Michael D. McClean, Phil Brown, Ann Aschengrau, Thomas F. Webster
Primary Institution: Boston University School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Does participation in a breastmilk biomonitoring study negatively affect breastfeeding rates or duration?
Conclusion
Biomonitoring study design can prevent negative impacts on breastfeeding through clear communication about breastfeeding benefits and careful distribution of individual results.
Supporting Evidence
- No participants reported reducing breastfeeding duration due to the biomonitoring study.
- Almost all participants wished to obtain individual results from the study.
- The study literature and report-back method helped mitigate potential negative impacts on breastfeeding.
Takeaway
This study looked at how women felt about breastfeeding after learning about chemicals in their breastmilk, and found that most women still wanted to breastfeed.
Methodology
Participants were contacted for a follow-up questionnaire to assess their experiences and attitudes towards breastfeeding after participating in the biomonitoring study.
Potential Biases
Participants may have been influenced by the study coordinator being a nursing mother, which could affect their responses.
Limitations
The study may not be generalizable to more diverse populations, as participants from a specific community were not included in the follow-up.
Participant Demographics
{"average_age_of_mother":32.2,"race_ethnicity":{"white":"87%","asian":"7%","latina":"4%","african_american":"2%"},"education":{"college_grad":"89%","some_college":"4.3%","hs_graduate":"6.5%"},"smoking_status":{"current_smoker":"6.5%","former_smoker":"10.9%","never_smoker":"82.6%"}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website