Effect of Antenatal Counseling on Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, an interventional study at two Federal Hospitals, Islamabad Pakistan

• Published in: Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Vol. 70; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Ain, Qurat, Mehmood, Humaira, Maroof, Saira, Madiha, Madiha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan Knowledge Bylanes 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Breast feeding; Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Child health; Counseling; Death; Female; Health aspects; Hospitals, Federal; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pakistan; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care - methods; Prospective Studies; Public health; Public hospitals; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; Young Adult; United States; Pakistan; Breastfeeding, Early initiation, Counselling
• ISSN: 0030-9982
• DOI: 10.5455/JPMA.302643006

To determine the effect of antenatal counselling at term on early initiation of breastfeeding. The prospective, questionnaire-based study was conducted at two state-run hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan, from July to December 2016. One hundred subjects at the Federal General Hospital represented intervention group A and received special antenatal counselling regarding benefits of early initiation of breastfeeding, while 100 subjects at the Islamabad Polyclinic formed control group B and received routine counselling. Data was analysed using SPSS Version 20. Of the 200 subjects initially enrolled, 185 were included in the data analysis , 91 in the intervention group (A) and 94 among the control group (B) and Rest were excluded due to missing data. In group A, 46 (50.5%) women initiated breastfeeding within one hour of childbirth, while in group B 17 (18.08%) women did early inititation (p <0.001). Counselling was seen to be associated with early initiation of breastfeeding.