TY - JOUR AU - Kandeel, Wafaa A. AU - Rabah, Thanaa M. AU - Abu Zeid, Dina AU - Salah El Din, Ebtissam M. AU - Metwally, Ammal M. AU - Shaalan, Ashraf AU - El Etreby, Lobna A. AU - Shaaban, Sanaa Y. PY - 2018/10/02 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Determinants of Exclusive Breastfeeding in a Sample of Egyptian Infants JF - Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences JA - Open Access Maced J Med Sci VL - 6 IS - 10 SE - B - Clinical Sciences DO - 10.3889/oamjms.2018.359 UR - https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/oamjms.2018.359 SP - 1818-1823 AB - <p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Breastfeeding is an optimum, healthy, and economical mode of feeding an infant. However, many preventable obstacles hinder exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life.</p><p><strong>AIM: </strong>We aimed to assess the social-, maternal- and infant-related factors disturbing exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life.</p><p><strong>METHODS: </strong>It is a retrospective study included 827 dyads of mothers and infants older than 6 months (411 exclusively breastfed, 311 artificially-fed and 105 mixed feds). Mothers were interviewed to obtain sociodemographic information, maternal medical history and perinatal history and a detailed history of infant feeding.</p><p><strong>RSULTS: </strong>Many factors were found to support the decision for artificial feeding rather than exclusive breastfeeding, including maternal age &lt; 25 years (OR = 2.252), child birth order &gt; 3rd (OR = 2.436), being a primi-para (OR = 1.878), single marital status (OR = 2.762), preterm infant (OR = 3.287) and complicated labor (OR = 1.841). Factors in favor of mixed feeding included cesarean section (OR = 2.004) and admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (OR = 1.925).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Although it isn’t a community-based study and its results can’t be generalised, plans to improve health and development of children are preferable to include the following: health education and awareness programs about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding should be directed for young and first-time mothers. Improved antenatal care to reduce perinatal and neonatal problems; and training, monitoring, and supervising community health care workers to recognise labour complications and provide support and knowledge to lactating mothers.</p> ER -