Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life is considered a high impact, but low-cost, measure for improving nutritional status, and reducing morbidity and mortality among children. However, providing prelacteal feed to a newborn, a widely practiced custom in rural India, is a major barrier to the practice of EBF. The present study evaluated the association between provision of prelacteal feeding and continuation of EBF among children up to 3 months age in Bihar, a resource-poor Indian state. Methods: Data from four rounds of a population-based multi-stage sampling survey, conducted in 8 districts of Bihar between 2012 and 2013, were used for the present analysis. Using simple and adjusted logistic regression modelling, we tested the association of providing prelacteal feeding with two outcome measures - 1) giving only breastmilk during the last 24 hours, and 2) exclusively breastfed (EBF) since birth (excluding the first 3 days of life). Results: Among 10,262 children for whom prelacteal feeding data was available, 26% received prelacteal feeding. About 55% mothers reported that their children were exclusively breastfed, whereas 82% mothers provided only breastmilk to their children during the previous 24 hours. Children who received prelacteal feeding had approximately 60% lesser odds of being breastfed exclusively during the previous 24 hours [AOR = 0.39(0.33-0.47)] and 80% lesser odds of receiving continued EBF since birth [AOR = 0.20(0.17-0.24)]. Conclusions: Frontline workers (FLW) provide nutritional counselling to mothers and children of rural India. In order to improve uptake of EBF, the families practicing prelacteal feeding should be identified early and educated on the harmful effects of prelacteal feeding for EBF and subsequently on infant health. Midwives/nurses at the public and private facilities as well as the home birth attendants should also be made aware about the negative effects of prelacteal feed.

Emerging ethical issues raised by highly portable MRI research in remote and resource-limited international settings

“…Such training is particularly important to address cultural differences and avoid bias. While each field-based MRI study will require engagement tailored to local context, some general lessons can be drawn from a growing body of research using EEG in resource-limited communities, especially on infants and children ( Lockwood Estrin et al, 2019 ; Tarullo et al, 2017 ) and fNIRS (e.g., Begus et al, 2016 ; Blasi et al, 2019 ; Katus et al, 2019 ; Lloyd-Fox et al, 2016 , 2019 ).…”

“…We have focused here on mobile MRI, but future research should also consider advances in mobile positron emission tomography (PET) ( Bauer et al, 2016 ), mobile magnetoencephalography (MEG) (Bosso 2020; Boto et al, 2018 , 2019 ), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) ( Baker et al, 2017a , b ; Blasi et al, 2019 ), and high-density diffuse optical tomography (DOT) ( Fishell et al, 2020 ). There is a growing body of LMIC research, especially on infants and children, utilizing EEG ( Lockwood Estrin et al, 2019 ; Tarullo et al, 2017 ) and fNIRS (e.g., Begus et al, 2016 ; Blasi et al, 2019 ; Katus et al, 2019 ; Lloyd-Fox et al, 2019 , 2016 ; Wijeakumar et al, 2019 ). MRI is not being used because it is costly and generally not yet feasible in the field ( Gossé 2018 ).…”

“…Facilitating MRI research in remote and resource-limited settings can also diversify reference databases in neuroscience by enlarging the range of populations represented ( Cirillo et al, 2020 ; ISMRM 2021 ), improving understanding of brain development and degeneration across the lifespan in diverse populations, and helping to create reliable and generalizable measurements of infant and childhood development ( Katus et al, 2019 ; Wedderburn et al, 2020 ). These deeper understandings can lead to new strategies to help remote communities mitigate and hopefully overcome challenges that negatively impact brain development and quality of life.…”

Human immune response against salivary antigens of Simulium damnosum s.l.: A new epidemiological marker for exposure to blackfly bites in onchocerciasis endemic areas

“…The World Health Organization’s 2021–2030 Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases has proposed that elimination (interruption) of transmission of onchocerciasis be verified in an increasing number of countries by 2030 [ 4 ]. Transmission dynamics models helped to inform the formulation of this roadmap, and indicated that vector control (where possible, and in addition to regular treatment of human populations) would be favourable in reducing blackfly biting rates, and hence transmission, in highly endemic areas [ 5 ]. An important determinant of the feasibility of elimination is the baseline (pre-intervention) level of endemicity, defined by the initial infection prevalence.…”

Mayaro Virus: The Potential Role of Microbiota and Wolbachia

“…This bacterium is a promising biocontrol agent due to its ability to modulate replication of some arboviruses in Ae. Aegypti [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. The mosquitoes Ae.…”