Consistency of the determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana: insights from four Demographic and Health Survey datasets

Abstract

Background Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is a key strategy in averting neonatal deaths. However, studies on the facilitators and risk factors for EIBF are rare in Ghana. We examined trends in EIBF and its major facilitators and risk factors in Ghana using data from Demographic and Health Surveys from 1998 to 2014. Methods We used complete weighted data of 3194, 3639, 2909 and 5695 pairs of mothers ages 15–49 y and their children ages 0–5 y in the 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2014 surveys, respectively. We accounted for the complex sampling used in the surveys for both descriptive statistics and multiple variable risk ratio analysis. Results The proportion of children who achieved EIBF increased by about 2.5 times from 1998 to 2003 and there was a marginal increase in the proportion of children who achieved EIBF between 2003 and 2014. Children born by caesarean section were at higher risk of being breastfed later than 1 h across all four surveys. Being born in the Upper East Region (compared with the Western Region) of Ghana facilitated EIBF in 2003 and 2008. Conclusions The study revealed that the current estimate of the proportion of children achieving EIBF in Ghana was 55.1%, and delivery by caesarean section and region of residence consistently predicted the practice of EIBF in Ghana.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Prevalence and predictors of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana: an analysis of 2017–2018 multiple indicator cluster survey

“…Our findings on the negative association between mothers who had a caesarean section and timely initiation of breastfeeding is corroborated with many previous studies in low-and middle-income countries [ 8 , 10 – 12 , 17 ]. There are several possible reasons that might account for the low prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers that had a caesarean section compared to mothers who had vaginal delivery.…”

“…Despite Ghana’s modest improvement in the prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding over the 7 year period, the prevalence is still markedly lower than its target of ensuring that 85% of all newborns are breastfed within the first 1 h of birth [ 26 ]. It has been predicted by Duodu et al that Ghana may meet its target of timely initiation of breastfeeding by 2044 [ 17 ]. The prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana is also substantially lower than that reported in countries such as Ethiopia (74.3%), Malawi (76.9%), Sudan (69%), Rwanda (81.5%), and Mozambique (77.7%) [ 11 , 24 , 27 , 28 ].…”

“…Edmond et al in Ghana observed that 22% of neonatal deaths can be saved if mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first 1 h of birth [ 4 ]. Whilst timely initiation of breastfeeding plays an important role in reducing neonatal mortality in Ghana, studies on factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana are limited [ 17 ]. There is also considerable variation in the prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana [ 17 – 20 ], and most of these studies were not nationally representative [ 18 – 20 ].…”

“…Whilst timely initiation of breastfeeding plays an important role in reducing neonatal mortality in Ghana, studies on factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana are limited [ 17 ]. There is also considerable variation in the prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ghana [ 17 – 20 ], and most of these studies were not nationally representative [ 18 – 20 ]. Therefore, our primary aim was to assess the prevalence and predictors of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers using the most recent multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS).…”

Trends of inequalities in early initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia: Evidence from Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys, 2000-2016

“…The increment rate in EIBF is in line with the rate of increment in Indonesia (16). However, the nding is lower than the achievement in Ghana (31), where the proportion of EIBF increased by a factor of 3.0 from 1998 to 2014 and Bangladesh (14), where the rate of EIBF increased by a factor of 2.0 between the year 2004 and 2014. The difference might be due to the short duration observed in Ghana (6 years) and Bangladesh (4 years) than Ethiopia (17 years).…”