A smartphone-based application to improve breastfeeding duration and self-efficacy: a randomized controlled clinical...

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Lactation Support

Background:

• Mobile health applications are increasingly used to support maternal health behaviors.
• Evidence on the effectiveness of mobile apps for improving breastfeeding outcomes is still developing.
• Optimizing digital tools is crucial for enhancing lactation support and duration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a novel mobile application on breastfeeding duration.
• To assess the effect of the app on breastfeeding self-efficacy scores at one year postpartum.
• To determine if the app increases exclusive breastfeeding rates at six months postpartum.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 93 participants.
• Participants were assigned to either an intervention group using a mobile app or a control group.
• Data on breastfeeding duration, self-efficacy, and exclusive breastfeeding rates were collected via surveys.

Main Results:

• The intervention group breastfed for an average of 10.1 months versus 8.9 months in the control group (p=0.320).
• No statistically significant differences were observed in breastfeeding self-efficacy or exclusive breastfeeding rates at six months (p=0.277).
• Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a trend towards longer breastfeeding duration in the intervention group (p=0.241).

Conclusions:

• The novel breastfeeding mobile app did not achieve statistically significant improvements in the primary outcomes.
• Participant feedback highlighted the potential of specific features, such as feeding trackers and peer support, to improve app efficacy.
• Future research should focus on refining app features, increasing sample size, and reducing participant attrition to better evaluate mobile-based breastfeeding interventions.