The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine reported infant feeding practice with reference to exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive formula feeding and mixed feeding at six weeks postpartum among women attending a postnatal clinic in the Tswaing subdistrict of North West province, and the stren...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2013-08-01
|
| Series: | South African Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/6128 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849340864056262656 |
|---|---|
| author | U.A. Ahmadu-Ali I.D. Couper |
| author_facet | U.A. Ahmadu-Ali I.D. Couper |
| author_sort | U.A. Ahmadu-Ali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine reported infant feeding practice with reference to exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive formula feeding and mixed feeding at six weeks postpartum among women attending a postnatal clinic in the Tswaing subdistrict of North West province, and the strength of the association between maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and exclusive breastfeeding.
Design: Three hundred and eighty-six randomly selected women from seven primary healthcare clinics in Tswaing subdistrict, who were in their sixth postnatal week between November 2009 and February 2010, were enrolled in this study. Data were collected using a researcher-formulated questionnaire to ascertain demographics, including HIV status, as well as reported infant feeding practice. Secondary analysis was carried out to determine the strength of the association between the HIV status of the subjects and exclusive breastfeeding
Setting and subjects: This study was conducted among women over the age of 18 years attending their first six weeks postnatal visit in seven primary healthcare clinics that provide postnatal care in the rural Tswaing subdistrict of the North West Province.
Outcome measures: The self-reported infant feeding practice at six weeks postpartum, demographic determinants of reported infant feeding practice, and the strength of the association between maternal HIV status and reported infant feeding practice, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, constituted the main outcome measures.
Results: Comparatively, more HIV-negative (n = 157), than HIV-positive women (n = 43), reported that they were breastfeeding exclusively and had received infant feeding counselling (n = 258 vs. n = 65, p-value 0.05). Exposure to infant feeding counselling and a negative HIV status were associated with higher exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Conclusion: HIV-positive women are still at risk of transmitting HIV to their nursing infants on account of suboptimal infant feeding methods in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) context. This calls for further research in this area, and in the interim, more support to pregnant and nursing HIV-positive mothers, with a view to achieving the aims of the PMTCT programme. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-46e896e75bd442a8b5c2e41d5ad5805f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-46e896e75bd442a8b5c2e41d5ad5805f2025-08-20T03:43:47ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042013-08-01554e1e610.1080/20786204.2013.108743814909The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West provinceU.A. Ahmadu-Ali0I.D. Couper1Department of Health Tswaing Subdistrict, North West Department of Health, South Africa; and, Faculty of Health Science, University of the WitwatersrandCentre for Rural Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; and, North West Department of HealthObjectives: The aim of this study was to determine reported infant feeding practice with reference to exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive formula feeding and mixed feeding at six weeks postpartum among women attending a postnatal clinic in the Tswaing subdistrict of North West province, and the strength of the association between maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and exclusive breastfeeding. Design: Three hundred and eighty-six randomly selected women from seven primary healthcare clinics in Tswaing subdistrict, who were in their sixth postnatal week between November 2009 and February 2010, were enrolled in this study. Data were collected using a researcher-formulated questionnaire to ascertain demographics, including HIV status, as well as reported infant feeding practice. Secondary analysis was carried out to determine the strength of the association between the HIV status of the subjects and exclusive breastfeeding Setting and subjects: This study was conducted among women over the age of 18 years attending their first six weeks postnatal visit in seven primary healthcare clinics that provide postnatal care in the rural Tswaing subdistrict of the North West Province. Outcome measures: The self-reported infant feeding practice at six weeks postpartum, demographic determinants of reported infant feeding practice, and the strength of the association between maternal HIV status and reported infant feeding practice, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, constituted the main outcome measures. Results: Comparatively, more HIV-negative (n = 157), than HIV-positive women (n = 43), reported that they were breastfeeding exclusively and had received infant feeding counselling (n = 258 vs. n = 65, p-value 0.05). Exposure to infant feeding counselling and a negative HIV status were associated with higher exclusive breastfeeding rates. Conclusion: HIV-positive women are still at risk of transmitting HIV to their nursing infants on account of suboptimal infant feeding methods in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) context. This calls for further research in this area, and in the interim, more support to pregnant and nursing HIV-positive mothers, with a view to achieving the aims of the PMTCT programme.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/6128exclusive breastfeedingruralpmtctreported practice |
| spellingShingle | U.A. Ahmadu-Ali I.D. Couper The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province South African Family Practice exclusive breastfeeding rural pmtct reported practice |
| title | The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province |
| title_full | The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province |
| title_fullStr | The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province |
| title_full_unstemmed | The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province |
| title_short | The practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in Tswaing subdistrict, North West province |
| title_sort | practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending a postnatal clinic in tswaing subdistrict north west province |
| topic | exclusive breastfeeding rural pmtct reported practice |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/6128 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT uaahmaduali thepracticeofexclusivebreastfeedingamongmothersattendingapostnatalclinicintswaingsubdistrictnorthwestprovince AT idcouper thepracticeofexclusivebreastfeedingamongmothersattendingapostnatalclinicintswaingsubdistrictnorthwestprovince AT uaahmaduali practiceofexclusivebreastfeedingamongmothersattendingapostnatalclinicintswaingsubdistrictnorthwestprovince AT idcouper practiceofexclusivebreastfeedingamongmothersattendingapostnatalclinicintswaingsubdistrictnorthwestprovince |