Ayele Wolde Melese, Tegegne Tesfaye Birhane, Mekonen Asnakew Molla
Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Injibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia.
Department of Reproductive Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia.
BMC Pediatr. 2025 Jan 30;25(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05372-z.
Breastfeeding is the cornerstone of a newborn's nutrition, containing crucial nutritional components. While a substantial body of research focuses on mothers, there is limited understanding regarding effective strategies to engage fathers in promoting breastfeeding practices. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study investigated a community-based intervention to improve breastfeeding exclusivity and initiation rates by targeting fathers in breastfeeding education.
This research was conducted in Dessie City in the Amhara region of Northeast Ethiopia from 5th October 2020 to 30th August 2021. Fathers and their wives were assigned individually to the intervention and control groups. Baseline data were gathered from selected Kebeles (Kebele: the lowest administrative level in Ethiopia) to identify couples seeking care through routine maternal and child health services. Fathers in the intervention area received breastfeeding education services at health facilities or home visits during antenatal, delivery, and postpartum periods. Trained midwives participated in giving breastfeeding education. In the control arm, they received routine counseling activities. Factors associated with early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding were analyzed using multivariable analysis among the two groups.
The intervention involved 327 participants, 155 in the intervention arm and 172 in the control group. The multivariable analysis indicated that the community-based father health education intervention significantly influenced the early initiation of breastfeeding. Mothers in the intervention group were found to be nearly five times more likely to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of their infants' lives (AOR: 4.85, 95% CI: 1.36-17.32). A significant positive impact was also found for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of infants at the 1st, 4th, and 6th months (AOR: 3.95, 95% CI: 1.09-14.27), (AOR: 5.47, 95%CI: 2.18-13.70), and (AOR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.02-2.85) respectively.
This study confirmed the positive effects of a community-based father education intervention on the rates of exclusive breastfeeding during the first, fourth, and sixth months, as well as the early initiation of breastfeeding. The government and healthcare workers should implement policies supporting father-inclusive breastfeeding initiatives such as creating awareness and the critical role fathers' play.
母乳喂养是新生儿营养的基石，包含关键的营养成分。虽然大量研究聚焦于母亲，但对于促使父亲参与促进母乳喂养实践的有效策略的理解有限。因此，这项准实验研究调查了一项以社区为基础的干预措施，通过针对父亲进行母乳喂养教育来提高纯母乳喂养率和起始率。
本研究于2020年10月5日至2021年8月30日在埃塞俄比亚东北部阿姆哈拉地区的德西市进行。父亲及其妻子被分别分配到干预组和对照组。从选定的凯贝勒（凯贝勒：埃塞俄比亚最低行政级别）收集基线数据，以识别通过常规母婴健康服务寻求护理的夫妇。干预地区的父亲在产前、分娩和产后期间在医疗机构或家访中接受母乳喂养教育服务。经过培训的助产士参与提供母乳喂养教育。在对照组，他们接受常规咨询活动。使用多变量分析在两组中分析与早期开始和纯母乳喂养相关的因素。
干预涉及327名参与者，干预组155名，对照组172名。多变量分析表明，以社区为基础的父亲健康教育干预对母乳喂养的早期开始有显著影响。发现干预组的母亲在婴儿出生后第一小时内开始母乳喂养的可能性几乎是对照组的五倍（调整后比值比：4.85，95%置信区间：1.36 - 17.32）。在第1、4和6个月时，对婴儿纯母乳喂养也发现了显著的积极影响（调整后比值比：3.95，95%置信区间：1.09 - 14.27）、（调整后比值比：5.47，95%置信区间：2.18 - 13.70）和（调整后比值比：1.70，95%置信区间：1.02 - 2.85）。
本研究证实了以社区为基础的父亲教育干预对第1、4和6个月的纯母乳喂养率以及母乳喂养的早期开始有积极影响。政府和医护人员应实施支持包括父亲参与的母乳喂养倡议的政策，如提高认识以及父亲所起的关键作用。
