BMC Nutrition (Nov 2023)

Factors associated with the plan to pre-lacteal feeding for the first 6 months among Ethiopian mothers: a multilevel mixed effects analysis of 2019 performance monitoring for action Ethiopia

  • Natnael Kebede,
  • Eyob Ketema Bogale,
  • Amare Zewdie,
  • Tadele Derbew Kassie,
  • Tadele Fentabil Anagaw,
  • Elyas Melaku Mazengia,
  • Sintayehu Shiferaw Gelaw,
  • Eneyew Talie Fenta,
  • Habitu Birhan Eshetu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-023-00784-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction Despite efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, pre-lacteal feeding remains prevalent in Ethiopia. The study will use data from the 2019 Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia (PMA-ET), which is a nationally representative survey that collects information on maternal and child health indicators. Therefore, this study aims to identify individual and community-level factors associated with the plan to pre-lacteal feeding for the first six months among mothers in Ethiopia. Methods The datasets from the 2019 Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia Survey were analyzed in this study, which included 685 mothers from the survey. Stata version 17.0 was used for data analysis. Multi-level mixed-effect logistic regression was utilized to identify individual and community-level factors that are linked with the plan to pre-lacteal feeding. The strength and direction of the association were presented using an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval, and statistical significance was declared at a P value less than 0.05. Results The study found that factors significantly associated with the plan to pre-lacteal feeding included mothers without higher education (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.204–1.204), mothers belonging to poor households (AOR = 11.1, 95% CI: 3.482–35.175), and women in clusters with poor wealth status (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.043–0.509). Conclusion As per the findings of the study, both individual and community-level factors were found to influence the decision to practice pre-lacteal feeding. Educational status and household wealth were significant individual-level factors associated with pre-lacteal feeding, whereas community wealth status was a significant community-level factor. To address this issue, it is recommended to focus on increasing the education level of mothers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and providing education on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and the risks associated with pre-lacteal feeding. These efforts can help in reducing the prevalence of this harmful practice.

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