Associação entre a anquiloglossia e comportamentos sugestivos de dificuldades na amamentação: um estudo transversal

Abstract

Breastfeeding (BF) is an essential biological right, in order to meet the emotional, nutritional and physiological needs of babies completely and economically, with important implications for maternal health standards. Its exclusive practice until the sixth month of life is recommended by the World Health Organization. This study sought to evaluate the association of behaviors suggestive of breastfeeding difficulties and the diagnosis of ankyloglossia among infants in Serra do Salitre, southeastern Brazil. A cross-sectional observational study was developed, with a non-probabilistic sample of 49 mother-baby dyads, which included infants from zero to six months of age, of both sexes, born preterm and full-term. Mothers answered sociodemographic questions, gestational history, birth, child habits and breastfeeding. To diagnose ankyloglossia, the Brazilian version of the Bristol Tongue Assessment Tool was used. To evaluate the breastfeeding dynamics of the dyads, the adapted UNICEF Breastfeeding Observation Form was used. The breastfeeding domains (Body position of mother/baby; Response of the pair; Suction; Breast anatomy and Affection) were the dependent variables of the study, and sociodemographic issues, gestational history, childbirth, child habits, sociodemographic issues and ankyloglossia , the independent ones. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Descriptive and bivariate analyzes were performed. The prevalence of exclusive AM in the sample was 71.4% and of confirmed cases of ankyloglossia 14.6%. The majority of babies were boys (57.1%), non-white (71.2%). The sucking domain was the one that most presented behaviors suggestive of breastfeeding difficulties (44.9%). Babies with ankyloglossia had a higher prevalence of poor breastfeeding body position behaviors (p=0.022). Normal birth (p = 0.049) and younger age (p = 0.037) were associated with breast anatomy. Regarding sucking the mother's breast, babies with favorable behaviors were older (p = 0.001), and with greater gestational age (p = 0.033) and mothers who worked outside the home had a higher prevalence of regular behaviors compared to those who did not work outside the home ( p = 0.013). Mothers with less education (p = 0.010) and lower income (p = 0.027) had a higher prevalence of behaviors favorable to breastfeeding. It was concluded that the breastfeeding position was the only domain that was associated with the presence of ankyloglossia in the babies in this sample.