Breastfeeding in Northern Italy.

AIM: To describe the duration and type, as classified by World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, of breastfeeding in Ligurian newborns up to 1 year of age, and to identify possible related factors. METHODS: A prospective, observational study on a cohort of 757 women recruited in 10 hospitals in Northern Italy. Women were followed up by means of a questionnaire at discharge and by telephone interviews in the 4th, 12th, 24th and 48th weeks postpartum using the 'recall period' method. RESULTS: At discharge, 97.3% of mothers had started breastfeeding; regional breastfeeding rates at the 4th, 12th, 24th and 48th weeks were respectively 84.4%, 71.2%, 54.4% and 26.3%. Socio-demographic factors did not significantly influence these percentages. Median duration of breastfeeding was 6.5 months. No statistically significant differences were observed in duration of breastfeeding between women who started exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and those who did predominant breastfeeding (PBF), while the difference was statistically significant when comparing complementary breastfeeding (CBF) with EBF and with PBF. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first regional experience in the Liguria region and represents a starting point for the diffusion of the culture of breastfeeding. Our results are satisfactory with regards to the overall duration of breastfeeding until the first year of life (26.3%), while duration of EBF (9.5% at the 24th week) is still unsatisfactory according to WHO objectives that include EBF for all children up to the sixth month of life.

[Oromandibular-limb hypogenesia spectrum: report of a case of lower ankylogloxia ++ associated with bilateral apodia]. / Spettro "ipogenesia oromandibolare-arti": presentazione di un caso di ankyloglossia inferior associata con apodia bilaterale.

We report on a newborn with ankyloglossia inferior, micrognathia, and bilateral apodia. The tongue was small and adherent to the floor of the mouth. It has been proposed that oromandibular-limb hypogenesis sequences are due to an interruption of embrionic blood supply. Interruption or reduction of uterine artery blood flow appear to be pharmacologically or physically induced. In our case, there was no prenatal history of chorionic villus sampling, of drug or teratogens exposure, and of intrauterine infections.

[10 years' surveillance of congenital malformations in Liguria (1978-1987)]. / Dieci anni di sorveglianza sulle malformazioni congenite in Liguria (1978-1987).

In 10 years 26,945 newborns were born in 4 different hospitals in Liguria. The incidence rates of 26 specific malformations are reported. The regional data are related to those of the Italian Multicentric Monitoring System for Birth Defects.