The influence of maternal overweight and obesity on breastfeeding among women in Al-Madinah, Al-Munawwarah

Background: Breastfeeding has advantages for both infant health in the short and long term, and the mother. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of prenatal overweight and obesity among breastfeeding women and to determine the effect of breastfeeding duration on obesity in postpartum females in Al-Madinah, Al-Monawarrah. Methodology: A cross section research was conducted from March 2022 to October 2022. An inconvenient sample was carried out among the postpartum females in the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Al-Madinah Al-Monawarrah, KSA. A self administered semi structured questionnaire was used. Results: A total of 163 postpartum women were included. Of the total participants, 44.7% of women were in the obese or overweight category. The findings of the study showed a relation between breastfeeding duration and body mass index (BMI) levels (p = 0.044). Moreover, a significant negative correlation between BMI level and duration of breastfeeding (p = 0.002; r = -0.25) was found. This means that the lactation period was affected by increasing BMI levels. Additionally, Weight before and after conception and the length of breastfeeding had a strong negative correlation (r = -0.162, p = 0.039, r = -0.184, p = 0.019, respectively). Conclusion: The duration of lactation is reduced in pregnant women who are overweight or obese. These findings show that weight control before, during and after pregnancy should be a priority of prenatal control. Further more, these factors consist of increasing breastfeeding among obese pregnant women.