Knowledge of working lactating women about breastfeeding protection laws before and after educational intervention: a quasi-experimental study

Objectives: to compare the knowledge of lactating workers about the laws that protect breastfeeding before and after an educational intervention. Methods: quasi-experimental study conducted from May to August 2024 in the Rooming-In wards of a university hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fifty postpartum women engaged in paid work and intending to breastfeed were included. Knowledge was assessed using a validated questionnaire applied before and after the exhibition of an educational video on current legislation. Means were compared using the paired t test, with significance set at p≤0.05. Results: the mean score increased from 5.02±2.31 in the pre-test to 7.72±0.83 in the post-test (p<0.001), with more than 92% correct answers after the intervention. Conclusion: the video intervention effectively increased lactating workers’ knowledge about breastfeeding protection laws, representing a simple and applicable strategy in different healthcare settings.