Factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding practice among under-six months infants in Ethiopia
Gizachew Gobebo Mekebo1, Alemayehu Siffir Argawu2, Habte Tadesse Likassa3
1Department of Statistics, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia. gizmake@gmail.com.
Insights
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Ethiopia is practiced by 83% of infants under six months. Factors like urban residence and larger family size were associated with lower EBF rates, while higher maternal education and facility deliveries were linked to increased practice.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life due to its significant health benefits for infants and mothers.
- Despite established benefits, EBF rates in Ethiopia remain below international recommendations.
- Understanding the determinants of EBF is crucial for improving infant and maternal health outcomes in the region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice among infants under six months of age in Ethiopia.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for interventions aimed at increasing EBF rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS).
- Employed multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors significantly associated with EBF practice.
- Calculated adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals to quantify associations.
Main Results:
- The study included 566 infants under six months; EBF prevalence was 83% (95% CI: 79.70-86%).
- Factors associated with lower EBF included urban residence (AOR: 0.40), larger family size (≥5 members, AOR: 0.45), and caesarean births (AOR: 0.63).
- Factors associated with higher EBF included secondary (AOR: 1.54) and higher maternal education (AOR: 3.18), increased antenatal care (ANC) visits (1-3 visits AOR: 1.52; ≥4 visits AOR: 4.27), and health facility deliveries (AOR: 2.51).
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice in Ethiopia is significantly influenced by residence, maternal education, ANC visits, family size, and delivery location.
- Promoting antenatal care visits and institutional deliveries can enhance EBF rates.
- Targeted educational initiatives for mothers with lower educational attainment are essential to improve awareness and practice of EBF.
Background:
World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. EBF has sustainable long-term health benefits for both infants and mothers. Despite its benefits, the practice of EBF in Ethiopia is lower than the internationally recommended one. This study aimed at identifying factors influencing EBF practice among under-6 month infants in Ethiopia.
Methods:
This study used data drawn from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (2019 EMDHS) data. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to investigate factors significantly associated with EBF practice among under-6 month infants in Ethiopia. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to measure the association of factors with EBF practice.
Results:
A total of 566 infants under the age of 6 months were included in the study. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practice was 83% (95% CI: 79.70-86%). Urban residences (AOR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22-0.73), mothers having secondary education (AOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.29-1.84) and higher education (AOR: 3.18, 95% CI: 0.68-15.02), mothers having ANC visits of 1 to 3 times (AOR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.24-1.88) and ANC visits of 4 and more times (AOR: 4.27, 95% CI: 1.06-17.25), family size of more than 5 (AOR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26-0.88), caesarean births (AOR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.42-0.95), and deliveries at health facilities (AOR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.12-5.63) were factors significantly associated with EBF practice among under-6 month infants.
Conclusion:
In this study, EBF practice among under-6 month infants was significantly associated with place of residence, maternal educational level, ANC visits, family size, mode of delivery, and place of delivery. Therefore, encouraging ANC visit and promotion of institutional (health facility) delivery are recommended. Furthermore, special attention has to be given to mothers with no or less education to make them better aware of the EBF and its benefits to enhance exclusive breastfeeding practice.
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