Aljawoan Fatimah Y, Alabdulkarim Alanoud I, Alhumaidan Almaha A, Alsaeed Renad, Aldosari Layan M
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dent Medical Center, Riyadh, SAU.
Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Apr 22;16(4):e58729. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58729. eCollection 2024 Apr.
Introduction The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations are early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of infants' lives. Despite the WHO and UNICEF recommendations and expanding evidence of the significance of exclusive breastfeeding, about two-thirds of infants worldwide have not received exclusive breastfeeding for the six recommended months. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of working mothers exclusively breastfeeding in the first six months of infants' lives and investigate their predictors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted for four months in 2022. The study included working mothers who have a child in the age range of 6-24 months living in Riyadh. Data was collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY) program. Results A sample of 118 participants were included in the study. Their prevalence for EBF practice for the recommended period is 28% (n=33). Around 58.5% (n=69) of the participants did not receive breastfeeding counseling during antenatal visits. Almost half the infants were given prelacteal feeding. Male infants are two times more likely to be exclusively breastfed for the recommended period than female infants. Work-related pressures were a key factor in the discontinuation of breastfeeding (53.4%, n=63). Conclusion This study highlights the lack of breastfeeding counseling and breastfeeding work regulation, alongside concerns about colostrum avoidance and prelacteal feeding. While EBF rates show progress, delayed initiation and work-related pressures remain challenges. Gender disparity in exclusive breastfeeding urges targeted interventions for more equitable outcomes.
引言 联合国儿童基金会（UNICEF）和世界卫生组织（WHO）建议在婴儿出生后的头六个月尽早开始母乳喂养并进行纯母乳喂养（EBF）。尽管有WHO和UNICEF的建议，且越来越多的证据表明纯母乳喂养具有重要意义，但全球约三分之二的婴儿在建议的六个月内未得到纯母乳喂养。本研究旨在估计利雅得市职业母亲在婴儿出生后头六个月进行纯母乳喂养的比例，并调查其相关影响因素。方法 2022年开展了一项为期四个月的基于社区的横断面研究。该研究纳入了居住在利雅得、孩子年龄在6至24个月的职业母亲。通过在线问卷收集数据，并使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）第29版（IBM SPSS Statistics，纽约州阿蒙克）程序进行分析。结果 该研究纳入了118名参与者。她们在建议时间段内进行纯母乳喂养的比例为28%（n = 33）。约58.5%（n = 69）的参与者在产前检查期间未接受母乳喂养咨询。几乎一半的婴儿接受了初乳前喂养。男婴在建议时间段内进行纯母乳喂养的可能性是女婴的两倍。工作相关压力是停止母乳喂养的关键因素（53.4%，n = 63）。结论 本研究突出了母乳喂养咨询和母乳喂养工作规范的缺失，以及对避免初乳和初乳前喂养的担忧。虽然纯母乳喂养率有所提高，但开始时间延迟和工作相关压力仍然是挑战。纯母乳喂养中的性别差异促使采取针对性干预措施以实现更公平的结果。
