ArticleInternational journal for equity in health2021
Breastfeeding inequities in South Africa: Can enforcement of the WHO Code help address them? - A systematic scoping review.
Article in International journal for equity in health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Sustainability of breastfeeding interventions to reduce child mortality rates in low, middle-income countries: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in health services · 2022Pooled it
- Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Amongst Mothers Living With HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Postpartum continuity of care for women with HIV: Option B+ policy impact and limitations in South Africa.BMJ global health · 2026Article
- Examining maternal health literacy as a mediator of the relationship between social vulnerability and caregiving practices for improving infant development.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Maternal Phenotype, Infant Size and Breast Milk Composition in Women Living With HIV.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
- An overview of reviews of breastfeeding barriers and facilitators: Analyzing global research trends and hotspots.Global epidemiology · 2025Review
- Comparison of infant feeding practices by maternal HIV status, and associated factors, in a rural district, South Africa 2019.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Article
- The characteristics of formula milk marketing on health system: a qualitative study from Beijing and Jinan in China.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Revival of the mother-baby friendly initiative (MBFI) in South Africa: towards a quality improvement project.International breastfeeding journal · 2024Article
- Barriers and enablers to exclusive breastfeeding by mothers in Polokwane, South Africa.Frontiers in global women's health · 2024Article
- Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Practices among Caregivers at Seshego Zone 4 Clinic in Limpopo Province, South Africa.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Complementary Feeding Practices and Childhood Malnutrition in South Africa: The Potential ofNutrients · 2023Review
- Infant and Young Child Feeding Knowledge among Caregivers of Children Aged between 0 and 24 Months in Seshego Township, Limpopo Province, South Africa.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Beliefs and Norms Influencing Initiation and Sustenance of Exclusive Breastfeeding: Experiences of Mothers in Primary Health Care Facilities in Ermelo, South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Facilitators and barriers associated with breastfeeding among mothers attending primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga, South Africa.Frontiers in nutrition · 2023Article
- (Non)Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in South African Parenting Magazines: How Marketing Regulations May Be Working.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Interventions and policy approaches to promote equity in breastfeeding.International journal for equity in health · 2022Article
- Article
- An exploration of pregnant women and mothers' attitudes, perceptions and experiences of formula feeding and formula marketing, and the factors that influence decision-making about infant feeding in South Africa.BMC public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionSuboptimal breastfeeding rates in South Africa have been attributed to the relatively easy access that women and families have had to infant formula, in part as a result of programs to prevent maternal-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. This policy may have had an undesirable spill-over effect on HIV-negative women as well. Thus, the aims of this scoping review were to: (a) describe EBF practices in South Africa, (b) determine how EBF has been affected by the WHO HIV infant feeding policies followed since 2006, and (c) assess if the renewed interest in The Code has had any impact on breastfeeding practices in South Africa.
methodsWe applied the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and reported our work in compliance with the PRISMA Extension (PRISMA-ScR). Twelve databases and platforms were searched. We included all study designs (no language restrictions) from South Africa published between 2006 and 2020. Eligible participants were women in South Africa who delivered a healthy live newborn who was between birth and 24 months of age at the time of study, and with known infant feeding practices.
resultsA total of 5431 citations were retrieved. Duplicates were removed in EndNote and by Covidence. Of the 1588 unique records processed in Covidence, 179 records met the criteria for full-text screening and 83 were included in the review. It was common for HIV-positive women who initiated breastfeeding to stop doing so prior to 6 months after birth (1-3 months). EBF rates rapidly declined after birth. School and work commitments were also reasons for discontinuation of EBF. HIV-positive women expressed fear of HIV MTCT transmission as a reason for not breastfeeding.
conclusionThe Review found that while enforcing the most recent WHO HIV infant feeding guidelines and the WHO Code may be necessary to improve breastfeeding outcomes in South Africa, they may not be sufficient because there are additional barriers that impact breastfeeding outcomes. Mixed-methods research, including in-depth interviews with key informants representing different government sectors and civil society is needed to prioritize actions and strategies to improve breastfeeding outcomes in South Africa.
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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.