Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of hospitalizations due to puerperal mastitis and breast abscess in Brazil: an ecological study

Authors

  • Leonardo Ribeiro Soares Universidade Federal de Goiás – Goiânia (GO), Brazil.
  • Iana Mundim de Oliveira Universidade Federal de Goiás – Goiânia (GO), Brazil.
  • George Oliveira Silva Universidade Federal de Goiás – Goiânia (GO), Brazil.
  • Andre Mattar Hospital da Mulher – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
  • Marcelo Antonini Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual Francisco Morato de Oliveira – São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
  • Ruffo Freitas-Junior Universidade Federal de Goiás – Goiânia (GO), Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29289/259453942025V35S1116

Keywords:

mastitis, puerperium, hospitalization, COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalization patterns for puerperal
mastitis and breast abscess within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Methods: An ecological study was conducted using data from the Hospital Information System of the SUS (SIH/DATASUS). Hospitalizations due to postpartum
breast-related issues across Brazil’s five regions were analyzed monthly, with March 2020 set as the interruption point.
Data normality was assessed using a normalized Q-Q plot and a standardized residual histogram in R software, with a
significance level of 5% (p<0.05). Results: A total of 11,279 hospitalizations were analyzed, with incidence rates ranging
from 6 to 10 cases per 10,000 live births between 2018 and 2022. The Central-West region had the highest hospitalization
rates both pre- and post-pandemic, while the Northeast reported the lowest. A 3.35% decline in expected hospitalization
levels was observed after the pandemic in Brazil and in most regions. Conclusion: Hospitalization incidence for postpartum breast conditions varied by period and region. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a reduction in incidence
across most Brazilian regions

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Published

2026-02-24

How to Cite

Soares, L. R., Oliveira, I. M. de, Silva, G. O., Mattar, A., Antonini, M., & Freitas-Junior, R. (2026). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of hospitalizations due to puerperal mastitis and breast abscess in Brazil: an ecological study. Mastology, 35(suppl.1). https://doi.org/10.29289/259453942025V35S1116

Issue

Vol. 35 No. suppl.1 (2025)

Section

E-poster

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Leonardo Ribeiro Soares, Iana Mundim de Oliveira, George Oliveira Silva, Andre Mattar, Marcelo Antonini, Ruffo Freitas-Junior

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.