Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding in infants less than six months of age in Hawassa, an urban setting, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life. However, the proportion of EBF in Ethiopia is 58%. The EBF practice and factors affecting it have not been studied in Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of EBF practice among infants less than six months age in Hawassa city, Ethiopia.MethodsA total of 529 mothers with infants aged 0–6 months were involved in this study between November 2015 and January 2016. Trained interviewers collected data from the mothers of the infants. Exclusive breastfeeding was assessed based on infant feeding practice in the prior 24 h. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted.ResultsInfants aged 0–5.9 months were studied with comparable gender composition (51.4% females). The exclusive breastfeeding prevalence was 60.9% (95% CI 56.6, 65.1). Mothers with infants aged 0–1.9 months and 2–3.9 months practiced EBF more likely than mothers with infants aged 4–6 months (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.59; 95% CI 2.07, 6.2) and (AOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.23, 3.5), respectively. Married mothers practiced EBF more likely than singles (AOR 2.04; 95% CI 1.03, 4.06). Housewives practiced EBF more likely than employed mothers (AOR 2.57; 95% CI 1.34, 4.9). Mothers who had a vaginal birth were more likely to practice EBF than mothers who gave birth via Cesarean section (AOR 2.8; 95% CI 1.7, 4.6). Mothers who gave birth at a healthcare facility were more likely to practice EBF than mothers who gave birth at home (AOR 8.8; 95% CI 5.04, 15.4). Mothers without a breast complication practiced exclusive breastfeeding more than mothers with breast complications (AOR 2.05; 95% CI 1.5, 4.1).ConclusionsThis study showed a low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. Younger infants, babies born to married women, who are housewives, having a vaginal birth in a health facility, and whose mother’s breasts were healthy, were predictors for EBF. The promotion of an institutional delivery, optimal breastfeeding practices, and designing strategies to better support employed mothers are recommended.

Effect of gender of new-born, antenatal care and postnatal care on breastfeeding practices in Ethiopia: Evidence from systematic review and meta-analysis of national studies

“…Out of the 24 studies included, 11 studies 23,24,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] reported the association between EBF and gender of new-born in 6,527 mothers (Table 2A) Twenty-one studies [33][34][35]38,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] reported the association between EBF and ANC in 16,052 mothers (Table 2B). The pooled OR of ANC was 2.24 (95% CI 1.65 -3.04, p <0.0001, I 2 = 90.9%) ( figure 5).…”

The Exclusive Breastfeeding Policies Implementation and Health Workers Roles in Medan-Indonesia

“…As the 80% exclusive breastfeeding coverage targeted in National Development Program and national strategies programs, the situation required a quite apprehensive effort that needs to be seriously taken and immediately directed so that can increase the success of exclusive breastfeeding program (Amiruddin 2009). The Indonesian exclusive breastfeeding prevalence was below the international recommendation in worldwide, with only 36% of under six months infants were received exclusively breastfed (Adugna et al 2017).…”

“…The government and health agencies have made efforts to provide equitable access to services for breastfeeding support.There was wide variation in breastfeeding rates between culturally separate groups or adjacent city neighborhoods (Hounsome and Dowling 2018). UNICEF (2013) proclaims that the breastfeeding is the most inexpensive and effective lifesaver for children in the human health histories.Mothers expected to gave at least six months exclusive breastfeeding without any other intake than breast milk (Wattimena and Dwi 2015).Exclusive breastfeeding offers short term and long term health benefits both to mother and infant (Adugna et al 2017). Breastfeeding was required that infants receive tiny milk, did not allow infants to receive anything else, and allows infants to receive dropped, syrups (vitamins, minerals, medicine), namely infants receive only breastfeeding did not receive anything and allows baby to receive drops, syrups (Arikunto 2001).…”

“…Breastfeeding was the major source on infant nutrition and has been linked to positive health outcomes in early childhood and into adulthood (1)(2)(3). In Western, high-income Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, however, breastfeeding initiation ranges from 44% to 99% this wide range raises questions about what enables or constrains breastfeeding in different national settings (Lubold 2017).…”

A Comparative Study of Anthropometric Measurements between Tribal and Non-Tribal Girls of Tripura

“…In marginalised population (tribal, rural, or slum), infant feeding practices such as giving colostrum (Swetha et al 2014), breastfeeding exclusively (Adugna et al 2017;Velusamy et al 2017), and adequate diet for lactating mothers (Kulakac et al 2007) are established to be low. On the other hand, support of family and community members facilitate timely initiation of breastfeeding and continuation (Horii et al 2017), which initiates from inherent social rituals and practices associated with infant care.…”