Pregnant Women's Knowledge about Smoking, Breastfeeding and Breast Cancer

Purpose:

Breastfeeding has been shown to be a protective factor against breast cancer. Lebanon has some of the lowest rates in the Middle East. While 96% of women initiate breastfeeding at birth, by 1 year only 27% are still being breastfed. Also, it has been shown that there is a relationship between breastfeeding and breast cancer especially for women who begin smoking before their first child. 31% of Lebanese women smoke and of those 25% smoke during pregnancy.Therefore this ongoing research aims to answer two questions: Do pregnant women who receive care at AUBMC know about the relationship between breastfeeding and breast cancer? Do those same women know about the relationship between smoking and breast cancer?

 Methods:

A 10 question survey was developed which aims to ascertain pregnant women’s knowledge about breastfeeding protective factors and risks to a woman’s health from smoking cigarettes.

Participants are being solicited from the outpatient obstetrical clinics at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. 100 respondents of the 196 total have thus far participated

 Results:

Demographics

83% are between the ages of 25 to 35; 48% have a bachelor’s degree; 26% have a masters degree;51% are in their first pregnancy; 30% are in their third pregnancy

Breastfeeding

43% previously breastfed for 1-6 months; 22% for 6-12 months; 15% for 12-18 months; 57% have receive NO breastfeeding education; 89% say that breastfeeding helps the mother to bond with her baby;68% say that breastfeeding protects against breast cancer; 24% say that breastfeeding delays a woman’s menses; 77% say that breastfeeding does not help with child spacing

Smoking

12% are smokers; 88% do not smoke; 26% are trying to quit; 41% plan to stop smoking; 90% say; smoking is a risk for heart disease; 19% say smoking is a risk for bone fracture;50% say smoking is a risk for breast cancer while 50% say it is not; 51% say smoking is a risk for infertility

 Conclusion:

Of those surveyed it is apparent that most are well educated. Although more than half have received NO education about breastfeeding, still these women are knowledgeable about some benefits of breastfeeding. Most who have had a pregnancy have breastfed, 37% breastfeeding longer than 6 months. Most know that breastfeeding protects against breast cancer. Most do not smoke. Most know smoking is a risk for heart disease and infertility. However, the majority do not know that smoking increases risk for bone fracture. Half of the women know that smoking increases the risk for breast cancer