A systematic review of breastfeeding prevalence, duration and determining factors in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Authors

Fiona L Britten, Emma Shipton, Madeline Duke, Emma L Duncan, Leonie K Callaway

Published in

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. Pages e70315. Jul 28, 2026. Epub Jul 28, 2026.

Abstract

There is evolving evidence of the metabolic benefit of breastfeeding for women with diabetes and their infants but little data about breastfeeding prevalence and duration in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This is the first systematic review to examine prevalence and duration of breastfeeding in women with pregestational diabetes and variables associated with breastfeeding establishment.
A systemic literature review was conducted to assess breastfeeding prevalence in women with pregestational diabetes, and to describe variables reported to affect prevalence. The study was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42023447299).
Women with type 1 diabetes had lower prevalence and shorter duration of breastfeeding compared with normoglycaemic women. In contrast, there was insufficient evidence regarding prevalence and duration of breastfeeding in type 2 diabetes. Multivariate analysis identified variables associated with reduced breastfeeding prevalence or duration in pregestational diabetes. These included elevated body mass index, reduced maternal education, and less frequent early breastfeeding. Only two studies found an independent association with diabetes. No studies controlled for all likely confounders.
Breastfeeding prevalence and duration are likely reduced in type 1 diabetes; however, evidence in type 2 diabetes is inconclusive. A significant knowledge gap remains in this area; further research is required to establish the prevalence of breastfeeding and associated variables in women with pregestational diabetes. Given the long-term metabolic benefit of lactation in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the increasing prevalence of pregestational type 2 diabetes, further data are needed to design effective interventions to support breastfeeding in this population.

PMID:
42517222
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 28 Jul 2026.

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