Peer-reviewed article
Factors associated with the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for six months among mothers on antiretroviral therapy in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Daniel Ter Goon, Anthony Idowu Ajayi, Oladele Vincent Adeniyi ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for six months among 469 HIV-positive mothers on antiretroviral therapy in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. Only 32% of mothers practised EBF for six months. Unemployed mothers and those with lower education levels were more likely to breastfeed exclusively, while mothers who consumed alcohol were significantly less likely to do so. The research identifies employment status, education level, and alcohol use as key factors influencing breastfeeding practices in this population.
Key points
- Only 32% of mothers on antiretroviral therapy practised exclusive breastfeeding for six months
- Unemployed women were 1.66 times more likely to practise EBF compared to employed women
- Women with grade 12 or less education were 2.76 times more likely to practise EBF than those with tertiary education
- Mothers who consumed alcohol were 46% less likely to practise EBF (AOR = 0.54)
- Married women (36.8%) and non-smokers (32.7%) had higher EBF prevalence
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and cannot establish causality or temporal relationships. The findings are specific to HIV-positive mothers on ART in the Eastern Cape and may not generalise to other populations or regions.
Abstract
Abstract Background: Despite the beneficial health effects of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for infants, the practice of EBF remains low in South Africa, a country burdened with HIV. Given that the factors limiting EBF are multi-factorial and context-specific, we sought to examine the factors influencing EBF practice among mothers on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 469 parturient women enlisted in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission cohort study in the Eastern Cape. A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant socio-demographic, lifestyle and maternal information. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess associations between socio-demographic, lifestyle factors and EBF.Results: EBF for six months was practised by a few women (32.0%). The prevalence of EBF was significantly higher among married women (36.8%), unemployed women (36.6%), non-smokers (32.7%), and those who never drank alcohol (37.0%). Unemployed women (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.08-2.56) and those with grade 12 or less level of education (AOR =2.76, 95% CI: 1.02-7.49) had a higher likelihood of practising EBF for six months compared to employed women and women who attained tertiary level of education. While mothers who take alcohol (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34-0.85) were less likely to practice EBF for six months compared to those who never drank alcohol. Conclusions: Factors contributing to the low prevalence of EBF among mothers in this setting are employment, tertiary education and alcohol consumption. Strategies should target these socioeconomic indicators and lifestyle behaviour in the region.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- No intervention was tested; this is an observational study examining factors associated with EBF practice
- Population
- 469 parturient women enrolled in a prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission cohort study in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Key finding
32.0% of mothers practised EBF for six months
Goon et al. · African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) · 4 Apr 2020