Observational studyBMJ open2026
Breastfeeding and later depression and anxiety in mothers in Ireland: a 10-year prospective observational study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The Effectiveness of Parent-Targeted Digital Health Interventions on Breastfeeding Practices: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesAlthough breastfeeding is associated with lower postnatal depression and anxiety, limited research exists regarding long-term maternal mental health outcomes. This study examined the association between breastfeeding and depression and anxiety in women of later reproductive age (mid 30s to menopause).
designThis was a 10-year prospective longitudinal cohort study. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect lifetime breastfeeding behaviour at 10 years, and health history including depression, anxiety and medication use was collected at each study timepoint.
settingA tertiary level maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland.
participants168 parous women from the ROLO Longitudinal Cohort with lifetime breastfeeding behaviour and health history data available at 10 years were included (22% of total cohort). Women currently pregnant or breastfeeding at 10-year follow-up were excluded.
resultsMean (SD) age at study end was 42.4 (3.8) years. 72.6% (n=122) of women reported ever breastfeeding. Median lifetime exclusive breastfeeding was 5.5 weeks (IQR 35.8, range 0-190). 37.5% of women (n=63) breastfed for ≥12 months over their lifetime. 13.1% (n=22) reported depression or anxiety at 10 years, and 20.8% (n=35) reported depression or anxiety over the whole study period. Ever breastfeeding was associated with less depression and anxiety at 10 years (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.94, p=0.04). Ever breastfeeding, longer exclusive breastfeeding and lifetime breastfeeding ≥12 months were associated with lower depression and anxiety over the whole study period (ever breastfeeding OR 0.4, p=0.03; exclusive breastfeeding OR 0.98/week, p=0.03; lifetime breastfeeding ≥12 months OR 0.38, p=0.04).
conclusionThere may be a protective association between breastfeeding and self-reported depression and anxiety. Further studies are required to confirm the findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN54392969.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.