Exclusive Breastfeeding And Associated Factors Among Nursing Mothers In The Ga East Municipality, 2021

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2021-12

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University Of Ghana

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Introduction: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) offers nutritional, protective, and economic benefits to mother and child populations. The proportion of nursing mothers who exclusively breastfeed in Ghana in 2018 was 42.9%, lower than the WHO target of 70%. The reduction in exclusive breastfeeding rates among children directly reduces the benefits that the practice offers and hence increases the risk of morbidity and mortality among children and women. Again, exclusive breastfeeding rates vary with population type, and hence, gaps in location-specific data delay efforts to curb the reducing rates. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the proportion of women that practice exclusive breastfeeding and determine factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in the Ga East Municipality. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing mothers at facilities of sub-municipalities in the Ga East Municipality. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on exclusive breastfeeding practices, socio-demographic, clinical, and maternal factors from 388 nursing mothers that were randomly selected. Descriptive analysis was performed, with the resulting frequencies and proportions represented in charts and tables. Univariate analysis was performed and factors that were associated with breastfeeding at a significant level were included in the multi-variable logistic regression. Odds ratios were estimated with 95% confidence intervals and statistical significance was determined at p-value <0.05. Results: Of the 388 respondents, 373 (96.13%) were educated, 260 (67.01%) were married and 234 (60.31%) received help with household chores. Most of the respondents had given birth to children as singletons (95.88%, n=372), with the majority of children born by normal delivery (69.07%, n=268). Many of the nursing mothers reported that they had experienced tiredness postpartum (39.43%, 95% CI: 34.54 - 44.49). About 50.26% (95% CI = 45.17 - 55.34) of the nursing mothers in the municipality practised exclusive breastfeeding. There was a 71% increased odds of EBF among mothers who received help with household chores as compared to those who do not receive help (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.04 - 2.82, p = 0.034) but other socio-demographic characteristics were not found to be significantly associated with EBF. There was a 66% decreased odds of EBF among mothers who had been ill post-partum as compared to those who had not been ill (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.14 - 0.84, p = 0.019) and an 80% decreased odds of EBF among mothers who received prenatal counselling from untrained personnel as compared to mothers who received counselling from trained personnel (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.06 - 0.73, p = 0.015). Other clinical characteristics were not found to be significantly associated with EBF. There were 11.08 times increased odds of EBF among nursing mothers who had engorged breasts as compared to those who did not have engorged breasts (AOR =11.08, 95% CI = 1.42 - 86.68, p = 0.022) but other maternal characteristics were not significantly associated with EBF. Conclusions: Half of the women in the Ga East Municipality practised exclusive breastfeeding, which is lower than the WHO target but higher than the current national prevalence of EBF in Ghana. Having help with household chores increased exclusive breastfeeding implying the need to intensify domestic support given to nursing mothers. Illness among mothers decreased exclusive breastfeeding providing a basis for the provision of extra support to nursing mothers who are ill. Counselling from untrained personnel decreased EBF showing the urgent need for regular straining of staff.

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MPhil. Applied Epidemiology And Disease Control

Keywords

Breastfeeding, Exclusive, Nursing Mothers, Ga East Municipality

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