Maternal Education, Breastfeeding Behaviours and Lactational Amenorrhoea: Studies Among Two Ethnic Communities in Ile Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Breastfeeding is an important child survival strategy. This report aims to describe the unique contributions of education, ethnicity, and other variables to breastfeeding outcomes. The study was conducted among two groups of lactating mothers in Ile Ife, southwestern Nigeria, using structured questionnaires focusing on their breastfeeding history and current practice. Breastfeeding initiation was delayed in both groups, and primary education is the most significant predictor of initiation of breastfeeding within 6 hours of delivery (OR = 3.92, p = 0.0117). Breastfeeding duration (SD) was 13.7 (4.3) months for the Yorubas and 17.5 (3.4) for the Hausas. Its only significant predictors are education (p < = 0.0001), with an average decrease in breastfeeding duration of 3.2 and 6.6 months with mother's education to the primary and post-primary levels respectively, compared with mothers with no education. In turn, breastfeeding duration is the most significant predictor of the duration of lactational amenorrhoea (p = 0.0000). Mothers with some formal education are also more likely to start feeding human milk substitutes at 2 weeks (OR = 3.83, p = 0.024). The most important variable determining breastfeeding in this study is education. The educated mother is more likely to be involved in economic activity away from the home. To protect breastfeeding in these communities, there is a need for programmes to support the breastfeeding mother who works.

Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among White-Collar and Blue-Collar Workers in Indonesia

“…19 A study in Nigeria founded that there was an average decrease in breast feeding duration of 3.2 and 6.6 months correlating with mother's education to primary and secondary levels, respectively, compared to mothers with no education. 20 This finding is similar with the finding of our study that the level of education and knowledge will not necessarily determine the attitude of working women to breastfeed or breast pumping in the workplace.…”

Pathways of equality through education: impact of gender (in)equality and maternal education on exclusive breastfeeding among natives and migrants in Belgium

“…This can be explained through the focus these recent studies put on only distinguishing lower secondary education from higher secondary education and not taking higher education in general into account, something that is incorporated in our study. Also, these studies are from 2005 onwards, indicating a different generation of mothers is studied here than in our data sample, where our results regarding education seem to correspond with studies from developing countries conducted between 1970-2000 (Cleland & Van Ginneken 1988;Davies-Adetugbo & Ojofeitimi 1996). Finally, the findings seem to hint at a curvilinear association of gender (in)equality with breastfeeding practices with specific and different outcomes for low, average and high scoring countries on gender (in) equality, but also for low, middle and high income countries.…”

Assessment of the effect of psychosocial support during childbirth in Ibadan, south‐west Nigeria: A randomised controlled trial

“…However, all these factors were considered during multivariable analysis as possible confounders of the measured outcomes because of their likely effects. Biosocial variables such as education and ethnicity have not been reported in Nigeria to have conclusive association on all labour outcomes and breast‐feeding practices 18,19 . It is therefore arguable that the observed baseline differences may not have much influence on the overall interpretation of the study 18,19 …”