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Breast-feeding in Egypt
M M Hossain1, R R Reves, M M Radwan
1Epidemiology Study Center, Bilbeis, Sharqiya, Egypt.
Insights
Breastfeeding prevalence in rural Egypt declined with infant age, with exclusive breastfeeding dropping significantly by 11 weeks. Early supplementation practices were common, contradicting infant feeding recommendations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Appropriate infant feeding practices are crucial for child health and development.
- Understanding current feeding trends is essential for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of overall and exclusive breastfeeding in infants.
- To identify factors associated with breastfeeding practices in rural Egypt.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study followed 152 neonates and mothers in rural Bilbeis, Egypt.
- Twice-weekly home visits were conducted from October 1987 to April 1989.
- Data on infant feeding practices were collected to minimize recall bias.
Main Results:
- Overall breastfeeding prevalence decreased from 100% at 0-11 weeks to 89% at 36-47 weeks.
- Exclusive breastfeeding prevalence dropped from 20% at 0-11 weeks to 0% at 36-47 weeks.
- Mothers with previous children and refrigerator ownership were associated with overall breastfeeding rates; prelacteal feeding was linked to lower exclusive breastfeeding.
Conclusions:
- While nearly 90% of infants were breastfed at 47 weeks, early supplementation (80% by 11 weeks) is prevalent.
- These findings highlight deviations from recommended infant feeding guidelines in the study population.
- Interventions promoting exclusive breastfeeding and optimal complementary feeding are needed.
Abstract:
Planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes to promote appropriate infant feeding practices require detailed, current information about these practices in the target populations. To estimate the prevalences and identify the correlates of overall breast-feeding and of exclusive breast-feeding in different age periods during infancy, a cohort of 152 apparently healthy neonates and their mothers were followed during October 1987 through April 1989 in rural Bilbeis, Sharqiya Governorate, Egypt. Feeding data were collected through twice weekly home visits thus reducing the potential for bias in our findings due to respondent recall errors. The prevalence of overall breastfeeding in the infants declined from 100% in age period 0-11 weeks to 89% in age period 36-47 weeks. Mothers with previous living children were associated with significantly higher (odds ratio [OR]: 6.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-32.09) and ownership of refrigerators was associated with significantly lower (OR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05-0.67) overall breast-feeding prevalences in age periods 24-35 and 36-47 weeks, respectively. The prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding in breast-fed infants dropped from 20% in age period 0-11 weeks to 0% in age period 36-47 weeks. After multivariate adjustment, prelacteal feeding was significantly negatively (OR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04-0.37) associated with exclusive breast-feeding in age period 0-11 weeks. Nearly 90% of Bilbeis infants were breast-fed at age 47 weeks, but the initiation of supplementation at 0-11 weeks in 80% of breast-fed infants is contrary to current recommendations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)