Prevalência e fatores associados a prescrição de fórmula infantil para recém-nascidos de baixo risco em um Hospital Amigo da Criança.

Abstract

Besides the conditions provided in the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), there is little information in the literature on the factors underlying the early introduction of infant formula for low-risk newborns. The present study aims analyze the prevalence of prescription of infant formula for low-risk newborns, the justifications for the prescription and the factors associated with prescriptions not justified by the BFHI. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, with secondary data. Data from admissions to the obstetric center of the hospital between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2020 were extracted. Information regarding justifications for prescribing infant formula were extracted from forms for releasing artificial milk and classified as justified or not justified by the BFHI. Term births at low risk hospitalized in rooming-in were selected, excluding mothers with HIV serology, abortions/stillbirths, twins and newborns with low birth weight. Descriptive analysis was performed to characterize the sample. The prevalence of prescription and of justifications for prescribing infant formula over the years were calculated. Differences were tested using the chi-square test, adopting a significance level of less than 5%. Crude and adjusted analyzes were performed using Poisson regression. 6,048 low-risk births were included in the study. Approximately 25% of low-risk newborns were prescribed infant formula, with 33.7% of these prescriptions not being justified by the BFHI. Hypoglycemia was the most prevalent justification (50.2%). Adolescent mothers and nocturnal births were associated with a higher prevalence of prescriptions not justified by the BFHI, while early term births and extreme birth weights were associated with lower prevalence. The findings highlight the need for proper training of professionals in the postpartum care and lactation management to increase breastfeeding rates.