ArticlePloS one2021
Breastfeeding and weaning practices among mothers in Ghana: A population-based cross-sectional study.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and determinants of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life in Ghana.BMC public health · 2023Pooled it
- Article
- Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding among infants of working mothers in Ghana: a secondary analysis of the 2022 demographic and health survey.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Outcomes of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and associated factors at a tertiary hospital in Ghana.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
- Exclusive breastfeeding: an exploratory thematic analysis of the perspectives of breastfeeding mothers and significant others in the Tamale metropolis of Northern Ghana.BMC nutrition · 2024Article
- Breastfeeding knowledge, practices, and their determinants among recently delivered mothers: A cross-sectional study.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2024Article
- Breastfeeding challenges among adolescent mothers: a phenomenological study at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Mature beyond their years: young children who escape detection of parasitemia despite living in settings of intense malaria transmission.Biochemical Society transactions · 2024Review
- Exclusive breastfeeding among Indonesian working mothers: does early initiation of breastfeeding matter?BMC public health · 2024Article
- Knowledge and practice of breastfeeding among lactating mothers in AIIMS, Bhubaneswar - A hospital-based cross-sectional study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
- Exploring the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months in the Gambia using gambian demographic and health survey data of 2019-20.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2023Article
- Acceptability of breast milk donor banking: A qualitative study among health workers in Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Human Milk for Vulnerable Infants: Breastfeeding and Milk Sharing Practice among Ghanaian Women.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Weaning among Mothers in Najran Region, Saudi Arabia, 2021.Journal of nutrition and metabolism · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
23 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChildren need good nutrition to develop proper immune mechanisms and psychosocial maturity, but malnutrition can affect their ability to realize this. Apart from the national demographic and health survey, which is carried out every 5 years, there have not been enough documented studies on child breastfeeding and weaning practices of caregivers in the Volta Region. We, therefore, examined child breastfeeding and weaning practices of mothers in the Volta Region of Ghana.
methodsA sub-national survey method was adopted and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 396 mothers and their children. Descriptive and inferential statistics comprising frequency, percentage, chi-square, and logistic regression were employed in analysing the data. We defined exclusive breastfeeding as given only breast milk to an infant from a mother or a wet nurse for six months of life except drops or syrups consisting of vitamins, minerals, supplements, or medicines on medical advice, and prolonged breastfeeding as breastfeeding up to 24 months of age.
resultsThe prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was 43.7%. Mothers constituting 61.1% started breastfeeding within an hour of giving birth. In addition to breast milk, 5.1% gave fluids to their children on the first day of birth. About 66.4% started complementary feeding at 6 months, 22.0% breastfed for 24 months or beyond, while 40.4% fed their children on-demand. Child's age (AOR: 0.23, 95% CI:0.12-0.43, p<0.0001), prolonged breastfeeding (AOR: 0.41, 95%CI: 0.12-0.87, p = 0.001), mother's religion (AOR: 3.92, 95%CI: 1.23-12.61, p = 0.021), feeding practices counselled on (AOR: 1.72, 95%CI: 1.96-3.09, p = 0.023), mother ever heard about EBF (AOR: 0.43, 95%CI: 1.45-2.41, p = 0.039), child being fed from the bottle with a nipple (AOR: 1.53, 95%CI: 1.94-2.48, p = 0.003), and age at which complementary feeding was started (AOR: 17.43, 95%CI: 3.47-87.55, p = 0.008) were statistically associated with EBF.
conclusionBreastfeeding education has been ongoing for decades, yet there are still gaps in the breastfeeding practices of mothers. To accelerate progress towards attainment of the sustainable development goal 3 of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages by the year 2030, we recommend innovative policies that include extensive public education to improve upon the breastfeeding and weaning practices of mothers.
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