Study of Factors Affecting Exclusive Breastfeeding and Early Introduction of Complementary Food to Infants in the Aqaba Region of Jordan

Ibrahim Rajab Dabbour*

Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan.

Corresponding Author Email: dabbour8@mutah.edu.jo

Initiation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at birth, followed by introduction of complementary food (CF) at six months of age, is necessary for the lifelong health of the child. In Jordan, EBF rates are not optimal. To our knowledge, there have been no studies to date on breastfeeding practices in the Aqaba region. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting EBF and early introduction of CF in this region. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 448 Jordanian mothers who were recruited from three primary health care centers in Aqaba. They were interviewed and asked to complete a questionnaire concerning the following variables: socio-demographic information, reproductive health of the mother and infant and postpartum conditions and events. Of the 488 mothers recruited, we found that the number who breastfed exclusively for < 6 months or =6months were 230 (51.4%) and 89(19.8%), respectively. Furthermore, introduction of CF at < 6 months old occurred in 203(45.3%) infants. The effects of childbirth weight ≤2.5kg, maternal smoking, and pacifier use on the likelihood of EBF for less than 6 months were odds ratio [OR] = 1.07; P < 0.022, OR=0.09; P<0.004, and OR=0.35; P<0.001, respectively. With respect to CF, early initiation of CF was associated with childbirth weight (P=0.025), type of delivery (P=0.014), and pacifier use (P=0.001).Thus, initiation of CF before 6 months of age was associated with health problems in infants (P=0.030) including allergy, diarrhea, and abdominal colic. Jordanian mothers in Aqaba had a low rate of EBF for ═6 months and a high rate of early introduction of CF to their infants, both of which contravene health recommendations of global organizations.

Aqaba; Complementary Food; Cross-Sectional Study; Exclusive Breastfeeding; Jordan

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