MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Breast pump use is associated with longer breastfeeding duration, with the lowest risk of breastfeeding discontinuation found among non-Hispanic black and Native American breast pump users, according to a study published online July 13 in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Deanne Nardella, MD, of the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional analysis of weighted data between 2016 and 2021 to quantify the extent to which pump use is associated with breastfeeding duration. The sample included 19,719 mothers (mean age, 29.5 years).

The researchers found that lower breast pump use was associated with being younger than 18 years, having Medicaid insurance, being of a race and ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white, having lower income or education, and being single. The risk of breastfeeding cessation was lower with breast pump use (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.63), with an expected duration of breastfeeding 21 weeks longer than among mothers who did not use breast pumps. The association varied by race and ethnicity, with a significant interaction observed between breast pump use and non-Hispanic black ethnicity. The lowest risk of breastfeeding cessation was observed among non-Hispanic black and Native American breast pump users (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.47 and 0.51, respectively).

“Although our study suggests that the provision and use of pumps promotes rather than hinders breastfeeding success, pumps are not a one-size-fits-all solution and their use in real-life settings needs to be more thoroughly understood to optimize breastfeeding outcomes, promote equity, and minimize harm,” the authors write.

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