Prevalence and predictive factors for early initiation of breastfeeding in Nigeria: Evidence from the Nigerian demographic and health survey (2003-2018)

I O Morhason-Bello, O B Yusuf, J O Akinyemi, K K Salami, Y O Kareem, R O Eyelade, T Ilori, O Obisesan, A A Aderinto, K Alarape, A Alada, A S Jegede, O Fawole, I Kana, O Solanke, J Suleiman, D Okara, A Adebiyi, A M Abdullahi, O O Ejiade, I F Adewole

Abstract

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is an essential first step in exclusive breastfeeding that is expected to commence within an hour after childbirth. This study examined the prevalence and the factors associated with EIBF among nursing mothers in Nigeria based on an analysis of the 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) data. The prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation by women’s demographic, socio-economic and reproductive characteristics were computed for each of the survey rounds. The differences in the prevalence estimates for early breastfeeding initiation between the last two survey periods were calculated. A crude and adjusted model to examine association between explanatory variables and early breastfeeding initiation were fitted using Poisson regression model. The mean age of respondents was 29 years (SD=7.3). The prevalence of EIBF increased from 31.5% in 2003 (95% CI 28.4-34.5) to 43.8% in 2018 (95% CI 42.6-45.0), with a decline to 35.3% in 2013 (95% CI 34.0-36.7). The identified risk factors associated with EIBF were being 35-39 years, having at least a primary education, lower wealth quintiles, multiparity, and delivery in a public hospital. EIBF was lower among women that had skilled occupation, access to media, decided to delay pregnancy, history of previous caesarean section, small size baby at birth, and women who received antenatal care. The results indicate that the proportion of women with EIBF in Nigeria is low. Addressing the barriers identified in this paper will help promote EIBF practices in the country.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Victora CG, Bahl R, Barros AJ, França GV, Horton S, Krasevec J, Murch S, Sankar MJ, Walker N and Rollins NC. Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet. 2016;387(10017):475-90.

Effect of breastfeeding on infant and child mortality due to infectious diseases in less developed countries: a pooled analysis. WHO Collaborative Study Team on the Role of Breastfeeding on the Prevention of Infant Mortality. Lancet. 2000; 355(9202): 451-5.

Horta BL and Victora CG. Long-Term Effects of Breastfeeding World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland. 2013;74.

World Health Organization. Breastfeeding. Available from https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_1 (12/01/2022). 2022.

World Health Organization. Exclusive breastfeeding for optimal growth, development and health of infants. Available from https://www.who.int/elena/titles/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/ (12/01/2022). 2022.

United Nations. United Nations Action on Nutrition (2016-2025). Available from http://www.fao.org/3/a-bs726e.pdf (17/08/2020). 2017.

Collective GB, UNICEF, World Health Organization. Global Breastfeeding Scorecard, 2017: Tracking Progress for Breastfeeding Policies and Programmes; World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland. 2017.

World Health Organization. 10 facts on breastfeeding. WHO. Available from https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/breastfeeding/en/. (17/08/2020). 2020.

World Health Organization. Early initiation of breastfeeding to promote exclusive breastfeeding. In:e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA). Available from https://www.who.int/elena/titles/early_breastfeeding/en/ (17/08/2020). 2020.

Patel A, Bucher S, Pusdekar Y, Esamai F, Krebs NF, Goudar SS, Chomba E, Garces A, Pasha O, Saleem S, Kodkany B, Liechty EA, Kodkany B, Derma RJ, Carlo WA, Hambidge K, Goldenberg RL, Althabe F, Berrueta M, Moore JL, McClure EM, Koso-Thomas M and Hibberd PL. Rates and determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breast feeding at 42 days postnatal in six low and middle-income countries: A prospective cohort study. Reprod Health. 2015;12 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S10.

Abie BM and Goshu YA. Early initiation of breastfeeding and colostrum feeding among mothers of children aged less than 24 months in Debre Tabor, northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC research notes. 2019;12(1):65-.

Ogbo FA, Akombi BJ, Ahmed KY, Rwabilimbo AG, Ogbo AO and Uwaibi NE. On Behalf of the Global, Maternal Child Health Collaboration GloMACH. Breastfeeding in the Community-How Can Partners/Fathers Help? A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(2).

Adewuyi EO, Zhao Y, Khanal V, Auta A and Bulndi LB. Rural-urban differences on the rates and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding in Nigeria: further analysis of the Nigeria demographic and health survey, 2013. Int Breastfeed J. 2017;12:51.

Awi DD and Alikor EA. Barriers to timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers of healthy full-term babies who deliver at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Niger J Clin Pract. 2006;9(1):57-64.

Ezeh OK, Ogbo FA, Stevens GJ, Tannous WK, Uchechukwu OL, Ghimire PR and Agho KE. Factors Associated with the Early Initiation of Breastfeeding in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Nutrients. 2019;11(11).

Singh K, Khan SM, Carvajal-Aguirre L, Brodish P, Amouzou A and Moran A. The importance of skin-to-skin contact for early initiation of breastfeeding in Nigeria and Bangladesh. J Glob Health. 2017;7(2):020505.

Babatunde Yahya W and Adebayo SB. Modelling the Trend and Determinants of Breastfeeding Initiation in Nigeria. Child Development Research. 2013;2013:530396.

Berde AS and Yalcin SS. Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in Nigeria: a population-based study using the 2013 demograhic and health survey data. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016;16:32.

Commission NP. Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018 - Final Report. Abuja, Nigeria: NPC and ICF; 2019. 2018. 2019.

Sreckovic SB, Janicijevic-Petrovic MA, Stefanovic IB, Petrovic NT, Sarenac TS and Paunovic SS. Bilateral retinal detachment in a case of preeclampsia. Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2011;11(2):129-31.

Ahmed AE, Salih OA. Determinants of the early initiation of breastfeeding in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Int Breastfeed J. 2019;14:13.

Ahmed KY, Page A, Arora A and Ogbo FA. Trends and determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016. Int Breastfeed J. 2019;14:40.

Wu Y, Wang Y, Huang J, Zhang Z, Wang J, Zhou L, Ni Z, Hao L, Yang K and Yang X. The association between caesarean delivery and the initiation and duration of breastfeeding: a prospective cohort study in China. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(12):1644-54.

Daniel C and Singh S. Caesarean delivery: An experience from a tertiary institution in north western Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice. 2016;19(1):18-24.

Davies-Adetugbo AA. Promotion of breast feeding in the community: impact of health education programme in rural communities in Nigeria. J Diarrhoeal Dis Res. 1996;14(1):5-11.

Davies-Adetugbo AA. Sociocultural factors and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in rural Yoruba communities of Osun State, Nigeria. Soc Sci Med. 1997;45(1):113-25.

Ojofeitimi EO, Olaogun AA, Osokoya AA and Owolabi SP. Infant feeding practices in a deprived environment: a concern for early introduction of water and glucose D water to neonates. Nutr Health. 1999;13(1):11-21.

Ogunlesi TA. Maternal socio-demographic factors influencing the initiation and exclusivity of breastfeeding in a Nigerian semi-urban setting. Matern Child Health J. 2010;14(3):459-65.

Anyanechi CE, Ekabua KJ, Ekpenyong AB and Ekabua JE. Parturients' Awareness and Perception of Benefits of Breast Feeding in the Prevention of Infant and Childhood Oral and Dental Diseases. Ghana Med J. 2017;51(2):83-7.

Ogbo FA, Page A, Idoko J, Claudio F and Agho KE. Have policy responses in Nigeria resulted in improvements in infant and young child feeding practices in Nigeria? Int Breastfeed J. 2016;12:9.

Worugji INE and Etuk SJ. The National Breastfeeding Policy in Nigeria: The Working Mother and the Law. Health Care for Women International. 2005;26(7):534-54.

Shobo OG, Umar N, Gana A, Longtoe P, Idogho O and Anyanti J. Factors influencing the early initiation of breast feeding in public primary healthcare facilities in Northeast Nigeria: a mixed-method study. BMJ Open. 2020;10(4):e032835.

Adeloye D, David RA, Olaogun AA, Auta A, Adesokan A, Gadanya M, Opele JK, Owagbemi O and Iseolorunkanmi A. Health workforce and governance: the crisis in Nigeria. Human Resources for Health. 2017;15(1):32.

Balogun OO, Dagvadorj A, Yourkavitch J, da Silva Lopes K, Suto M, Takemoto Y, Mori R, Rayco-Solon P and Ota E. Health Facility Staff Training for Improving Breastfeeding Outcome: A Systematic Review for Step 2 of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(9):537-46.

Morhason-Bello IO, Adedokun BO and Ojengbede OA. Social support during childbirth as a catalyst for early breastfeeding initiation for first-time Nigerian mothers. Int Breastfeed J. 2009; 4:16.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.