Pre-Lacteal Feeding Practice and Its Associated Factors Among Children Less than 24 Months Old in Degahbour Town, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Apre-lacteal feeding (PLF) is any food except mother’s milk provided to a newborn before initiating breastfeeding in the first 3 days of life. Also, pre-lacteal foods might not be safe due to contaminating biological entities, which will cause infection in the newborn and might affect the colostrum intake. However, this might be different from context to context in a country like Ethiopia, where different cultural practices are dominant. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess pre-lacteal feeding practices and their associated factors among children less than 24 months old in Degahbour town. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 5 to July 30, 2021. Data were collected from 300 mothers who had children aged less than 24 months in Degahbour town using interview-administered questionnaires. A systematic random sampling method was used to select the study participants. The data
was analyzed using descriptive statistics. To identify the factors associated with pre-lacteal feeding practices, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. Variables with a p-value less than or equal to 0.25 in bivariate analysis were included in the multivariate regression model. Results for regression analyses were presented as odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval. A P-value <0.05 was used as a cutoff to declare statistical significance in regression analyses. Of the total mothers who participated in this study, 47.3% (95%CI: 42.0%–53.3%) had given pre-lacteal foods to their newborn baby in the first three days of their lives. Being a mother living in a rural area [AOR: 4.49 (95% CI 2.39, 8.42)], delivered at home [AOR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.21,3.82], lately initiating breastfeeding for the indexed child after the first hour of delivery [AOR=2.34, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.28], having no counselling about
breastfeeding [AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.28, 3.88], not receiving ANC follow-up [AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.19, 3.74] and having poor maternal knowledge about breastfeeding [AOR: 5.51; 95% CI: 3.16, 9.62] were factors significantly associated with practicing pre-lacteal feeding for the indexed child. The prevalence of PLF is high compared to the national level of 26%. Factors significantly contributing to PLF practices by the mothers of Degahbour town included place of residence, place of delivery, late initiation of breastfeeding after delivery, not receiving ANC during pregnancy, and poor knowledge on breastfeeding. Therefore, attention should be given to activities that can improve ANC follow-up, institutional delivery, and nutrition knowledge of mothers during the pregnancy period, including the importance of colostrum feeding immediately after delivery.