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Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is the international gold standard for infant feeding in the first 4-6 months of life. In sub-Saharan Africa, breastfeeding has been adversely affected by the HIV epidemic, due to breastmilk-associated mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) risk in the absence...

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Main Author: Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
Other Authors: Le Roux, Stanzi Maria
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Public Health and Family Medicine 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
author2 Le Roux, Stanzi Maria
author_browse Le Roux, Stanzi Maria
Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
author_facet Le Roux, Stanzi Maria
Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
author_sort Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
collection Thesis
description Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is the international gold standard for infant feeding in the first 4-6 months of life. In sub-Saharan Africa, breastfeeding has been adversely affected by the HIV epidemic, due to breastmilk-associated mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) risk in the absence of triple antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, with rapidly expanding global accessibility of ART, HIV treatment and infant feeding guidelines now recommend universal ART for all women ("Option B+") with breastfeeding as the optimal infant feeding choice in most settings. Data is scarce on breastfeeding practices in this context. This project seeks to describe early infant feeding practices among HIV-infected women initiating ART in an Option B+ PMTCT clinic in peri-urban Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: The Maternal-and-Child-Health-Antiretroviral (MCH-ART) study (2013-2016) enrolled HIV-infected women initiating ART in pregnancy; breastfeeding mother-infant pairs were followed until 18 months. Data were collected via interviews at scheduled study visits, including repeated measures of infant feeding practices (24-hour recall). EBF duration was defined from delivery date to date of last visit reporting EBF. A priori-defined maternal-infant characteristics potentially associated with early EBF cessation (< 4 months/never) were evaluated using exploratory data analysis and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of 471 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs, 429 (91%) were ever EBF. Median duration of EBF was 1.5 months (interquartile range, IQR 0.3-5.4); only 115/471 (24%) were EBF for 4 months or longer. Median maternal age was 28 years (IQR 24-32); 41% were married/co-habiting; 58% delivered at primary care level. Women who reported any lactation concerns by 6 weeks postpartum (22%) were more likely to cease EBF prematurely (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.77; 95% CI 0.96-3.27). Adjusting for alcohol use, poverty, gravidity, delivery mode, maternal age and education, other factors associated with early EBF cessation included relationship status (married/co-habiting vs. single, aOR 0.50, 95%CI 0.31-0.81), place of delivery (secondary vs. primary, aOR 1.94, 95%CI 1.06-3.54), and antenatal maternal anxiety (aOR 4.02, 95%CI 0.91-17.72). Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding is sub-optimal in this setting. Lactation problems are common, and strongly associated with premature EBF cessation. Additional lactation support is urgently required in PMTCT settings promoting breastfeeding. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01933477
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license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
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spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/25506 Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong Le Roux, Stanzi Maria Myer, Landon Public Health Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is the international gold standard for infant feeding in the first 4-6 months of life. In sub-Saharan Africa, breastfeeding has been adversely affected by the HIV epidemic, due to breastmilk-associated mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) risk in the absence of triple antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, with rapidly expanding global accessibility of ART, HIV treatment and infant feeding guidelines now recommend universal ART for all women ("Option B+") with breastfeeding as the optimal infant feeding choice in most settings. Data is scarce on breastfeeding practices in this context. This project seeks to describe early infant feeding practices among HIV-infected women initiating ART in an Option B+ PMTCT clinic in peri-urban Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: The Maternal-and-Child-Health-Antiretroviral (MCH-ART) study (2013-2016) enrolled HIV-infected women initiating ART in pregnancy; breastfeeding mother-infant pairs were followed until 18 months. Data were collected via interviews at scheduled study visits, including repeated measures of infant feeding practices (24-hour recall). EBF duration was defined from delivery date to date of last visit reporting EBF. A priori-defined maternal-infant characteristics potentially associated with early EBF cessation (< 4 months/never) were evaluated using exploratory data analysis and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of 471 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs, 429 (91%) were ever EBF. Median duration of EBF was 1.5 months (interquartile range, IQR 0.3-5.4); only 115/471 (24%) were EBF for 4 months or longer. Median maternal age was 28 years (IQR 24-32); 41% were married/co-habiting; 58% delivered at primary care level. Women who reported any lactation concerns by 6 weeks postpartum (22%) were more likely to cease EBF prematurely (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.77; 95% CI 0.96-3.27). Adjusting for alcohol use, poverty, gravidity, delivery mode, maternal age and education, other factors associated with early EBF cessation included relationship status (married/co-habiting vs. single, aOR 0.50, 95%CI 0.31-0.81), place of delivery (secondary vs. primary, aOR 1.94, 95%CI 1.06-3.54), and antenatal maternal anxiety (aOR 4.02, 95%CI 0.91-17.72). Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding is sub-optimal in this setting. Lactation problems are common, and strongly associated with premature EBF cessation. Additional lactation support is urgently required in PMTCT settings promoting breastfeeding. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01933477 2017-10-03T14:17:50Z 2017-10-03T14:17:50Z 2017 Master Thesis Masters MPH http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25506 eng application/pdf Department of Public Health and Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Public Health
Nguyen, Kelly Khanhduong
Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
title_full Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
title_fullStr Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
title_short Patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
title_sort patterns and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among women living with hiv in cape town south africa
topic Public Health
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25506
work_keys_str_mv AT nguyenkellykhanhduong patternsandpredictorsofexclusivebreastfeedingdurationamongwomenlivingwithhivincapetownsouthafrica