Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28510603›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2017

Effectiveness of community-based peer support for mothers to improve their breastfeeding practices: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Prakash Shakya, Mika Kondo Kunieda, Momoko Koyama, Sarju Sing Rai, Moe Miyaguchi, Sumi Dhakal, Su Sandy, Bruno Fokas Sunguya, Masamine Jimba

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 86 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
86citing papers in PubMed, 13 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

86 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Breastfeeding interventions for preventing postpartum depression.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
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  6. Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022
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  8. Impact and Effectiveness of Group Strategies for Supporting Breastfeeding after Birth: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021
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26 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Prakash ShakyaDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Mika Kondo KuniedaDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Momoko KoyamaDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Sarju Sing RaiDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Moe MiyaguchiDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Sumi DhakalDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Su SandyDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Bruno Fokas SunguyaSchool of Public Health and Social Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Masamine JimbaDepartment of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

methodsWe searched for evidence regarding community-based peer support for mothers in databases, such as PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, SocINDEX, and PsycINFO. We selected three outcome variables for breastfeeding practices, namely, exclusive breastfeeding duration, breastfeeding within the first hour of life, and prelacteal feeding. We conducted meta-analyses of the included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.

resultsFor our review, we selected 47 articles for synthesis out of 1,855 retrieved articles. In low- and middle-income countries, compared to usual care, community-based peer support increased exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months (RR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.62-2.22), at 5 months (RR: 9.55, 95% CI: 6.65-13.70) and at 6 months (RR: 3.53, 95% CI: 2.49-5.00). In high-income countries, compared to usual care, peer support increased exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months (RR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.15-5.95). In low- and middle-income countries, compared to usual care, peer support increased the initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life (RR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.04-2.21) and decreased the risk of prelacteal feeding (RR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.33-0.45).

conclusionsCommunity-based peer support for mothers is effective in increasing the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, particularly for infants aged 3-6 months in low- and middle-income countries. Such support also encourages mothers to initiate breastfeeding early and prevents newborn prelacteal feeding.

Indexed as

Breast FeedingMothersPeer GroupFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornOdds RatioPublication BiasRisk FactorsSocioeconomic FactorsTime Factors

Identifiers

PMID28510603
PMCPMC5433692

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.