Prenatal Counseling on the Maternal Health Benefits of Lactation: A Randomized Trial

Objective: To assess the effects of prenatal counseling about the maternal health benefits of lactation on postpartum knowledge, breastfeeding intentions, and infant feeding behaviors. Materials and Methods: We conducted a randomized trial with 411 nulliparous U.S.-born women carrying a singleton gestation. Participants were recruited online; after completing a baseline survey that assessed breastfeeding knowledge and intentions, participants were randomized to receive a 10-minute virtual counseling session about the benefits of breastfeeding or attention-control counseling about smoke-free homes. We collected data on breastfeeding knowledge, intentions, and infant feeding behaviors through 12 months postpartum and conducted an intention-to-treat analysis. Results: On enrollment, awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation was similarly low in both study groups. Postpartum, participants who received this prenatal counseling intervention had significantly greater awareness that breastfeeding decreases maternal risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (p < 0.001 for all). On enrollment, intended duration of breastfeeding was similar between groups (10.1 months versus 9.7 months, p = 0.41). At 1-month postpartum, intended duration of breastfeeding had increased from baseline among those who received this counseling (+0.7 months versus -0.7 months among controls, p = 0.004); among intervention participants intended duration of breastfeeding decreased less at 3 (-0.8 versus -1.6, p = 0.18), 6 (-2.0 versus -3.0, p = 0.06), 9 (-2.8 versus -4.2, p = 0.03), and 12 months postpartum (-4.8 versus -6.2, p = 0.09). Rates of exclusive breastfeeding and any breastfeeding were similar between groups. Conclusion: Prenatal counseling on the maternal health benefits of lactation increases awareness of these maternal health benefits and extends intended duration of breastfeeding. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04601987.