ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the association between red blood cell transfusion and breastfeeding among women who have suffered a postpartum haemorrhage at birth taking into account… Click to show full abstract
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the association between red blood cell transfusion and breastfeeding among women who have suffered a postpartum haemorrhage at birth taking into account post-birth haemoglobin concentrations.ResultsAmong 15,451 maternities with postpartum haemorrhage in New South Wales public hospitals between 2007 and 2010, 1828 (12%) received a red cell transfusion. Among transfused women, 686 (38%) had haemoglobin concentration pre-transfusion < 70 g/L, 792 (43%) had 70–90 g/L, and 350 (19%) had > 90 g/L. Rates and adjusted relative risks (aRR) for breastfeeding at hospital discharge were as follows: for women with haemoglobin concentrations < 70 g/L following birth and received a transfusion, 78.6% were breastfeeding and the aRR of breastfeeding compared to untransfused women was 0.90 (99% confidence interval (CI) 0.86–0.95); for women with haemoglobin concentrations 70–90 g/L, 81.3% were breastfeeding, aRR 0.94 (99% CI 0.90–0.98); and for women with haemoglobin concentrations > 90 g/L, 80.9% were breastfeeding, aRR 0.94 (99% CI 0.88–1.00).
               
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