Abstract
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is essential for early childhood development, although the use of adaptive milk formulas instead of breastfeeding is widespread nowadays. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exclusively breastfed infants under the age of 6 months in non-Roma and Roma population and factors associated with this practice.Materials and Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the Serbian Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey investigating non-Roma and Roma infants under the age of 6 months. The study included mothers of 321 non-Roma and 164 Roma infants younger than 6 months. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression served to analyze factors associated with the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in both populations.Results: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was almost the same among mothers in both non-Roma and Roma population (13.3 vs. 13%, p = 0.910). Exclusive breastfeeding was significantly more often (p < 0.001) among wealthier women, women whose newborns were over 2,500 g on birth, multipara, and women who had not established menstrual cycle among both populations. Living outside the capital significantly diminishes the chance for exclusively breastfed infants in the non-Roma community (Vojvodina: OR 0.16, CI 95% 0.03–0.92; eastern Serbia: OR 0.02, CI 95% 0.01–0.35) as well as living in the rural area (urban: OR 10.35, CI 95% 1.94–55.28). Unexpectedly, in the non-Roma population, not staying in the same room with the newborn in the maternity ward increases the chance for the baby to be exclusively breastfed (OR 7.19, CI 95% 1.80–28.68). The same pattern has been observed in Roma population. Non-Roma mothers multipara are more likely to exclusively breastfeed their children than primipara (OR 7.78, CI 95% 1.09–20.93), while among Roma mothers, the inverse association has been found although not significant (OR 0.42, CI 95% 0.14–1.23). Attending a childbirth preparation program more than 18 times increases the chances of infants being exclusively breastfed (OR 18.65, CI 95% 1.34–53.67). In the Roma population, there was no single woman that attended a childbirth preparation program.Conclusion: The pattern of exclusive breastfeeding significantly differs between non-Roma and Roma populations. Preventive work should have focus on strengthening support to mothers and medical staff in maternity wards.
Highlights
Breastfeeding and breast milk represent the standard of nutrition for babies that improves the health of mothers and children throughout life [1, 2]
Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys (MICS) 5 included the two national representative samples of the general non-Roma population and the Roma population living in Roma settlements in Serbia
In the Roma population, every fifth infant up to 6 months living in Belgrade is exclusively breastfed, every seventh in Vojvodina, and every tenth in southern and eastern Serbia
Summary
Breastfeeding and breast milk represent the standard of nutrition for babies that improves the health of mothers and children throughout life [1, 2]. While breastfeeding is vital for early childhood development, mothers enjoy significant health benefits of breastfeeding in terms of establishing an emotional relationship with the child, reducing the risk of postpartum depression, postpartum bleeding and anemia, and long-term effects such as the risk reduction for osteoporosis, malignant breast and ovaries diseases and type 2 diabetes [1,2,3]. Only 40% of children under the age of 6 months are exclusively breastfed [4]. One of six major global nutritional goals in World Health Organization (WHO) Comprehensive Nutrition, Mothers and Infants Plan is the increase of exclusive breastfeeding practice during the first 6 months to at least 50% [5]. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exclusively breastfed infants under the age of 6 months in non-Roma and Roma population and factors associated with this practice
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