The effectiveness of a breastfeeding educational program on knowledge of antenatal women: A quasi-experimental study

Prenatal knowledge about breastfeeding is an important modulator of feeding practices.

This study aimed to evaluate effectiveness of a structured breastfeeding educational program on breastfeeding knowledge of antenatal women and identify factors that predict breastfeeding knowledge.

A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study was conducted between June and July 2022. Using convenience sampling,150 antenatal women from a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were included. Personal and obstetrical information were collected using a demographic questionnaire. On Day one, the pre-test Breastfeeding Knowledge Questionnaire was administered, followed by the structured educational intervention. On Day 10, the post-test was conducted through telephonic interviews, using the same questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, paired t test and regression analysis were computed.

The mean post-test knowledge (24.97, SD=1.69) was significantly higher than the mean pre-test knowledge (20.26, SD=3.02), indicating that breastfeeding education was effective in improving the overall (p<0.001) and domain-wise knowledge: initiation and colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding, practices and techniques, nutritional aspects, and breastfeeding problems (p<0.001). High monthly income (OR=2.017; 95% CI=1.053-3.864; p=0.034), multigravidity (OR=3.117; 95% CI=1.489-6.525; p=0.003) and large family size (OR=2.889; 95% CI=1.479-5.643; p=0.002) were significant predictors of pre-test breastfeeding knowledge.

The educational intervention was effective in improving breastfeeding knowledge in antenatal women. The findings can have significant implications for healthcare professionals seeking to enhance the delivery of breastfeeding information in clinical settings, particularly during the antenatal period.