Educational strategy on breastfeeding and digital sucking habit in pregnant women

Abstract

Introduction:

Breastfeeding plays an important role in growth and development, the absence of its practice is related to possible dentofacial alterations and the establishment of deforming oral habits.

Objective:

To evaluate the influence of an educational strategy on breastfeeding and digital sucking habit in a group of pregnant women and their socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods:

A quasi-experimental educational intervention study without a control group was carried out in 27 pregnant women from doctor´s office No.18, southern area, municipality of Güines, from October 2018 to February 2020. A questionnaire was applied to determine the level of knowledge about the topic before and after the intervention. The educational intervention was carried out through three themes by conferences, projection of audiovisuals and debates. The information was collected in a form prepared for that purpose. The data was processed and displayed in tabular form. The X2 and Duncan's comparison test were applied.

Results:

55.5 % of the pregnant women had a good level of knowledge about breastfeeding and digital suction. 33.3% had a pre-university level, 29.6% ages between 25 to 29 years, 51.8 % the first pregnancy and 77.7 % of pregnancies were desired.

Conclusions:

Pre-university level prevailed, the age group of 25-29 years, in more than the 50 % it was the first and desired pregnancy. After the intervention was applied, a good level of knowledge about breastfeeding and digital suction was achieved.