Attitude of Primigravida towards Breastfeeding in Ha’il City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Farida Habib Khan, Hend M. Alkwai, Abeer Hassan Elhaj, Naveed Iqbal, Nuzhat Parveen, Rania Abdeen Hussain, Mona Madbouly Mohammad Shahin, Somaia Ibrahim Bashir Ibrahim
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ABSTRACT
Background: Breast-feeding practice is one of the main determinants
that influence Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). To adopt this practice, mothers’
attitude plays a pivotal role. Attitude depends upon socio-cultural and
economical factors.
Objective: To assess factors affecting the attitude of
primigravida towards Breastfeeding in Ha’il City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, 156 primigravida were
recruited by using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected
by awell-structured, closed-ended questionnaire.
Results: Majority (51.3%) of our respondents were working ladies (employed,
labor, self-employed), and had a high educational level (40.3%). More than half
(54.5%) of the primigravida were willing to breastfeed their newborns. Thirty
percent of respondents had the intention to practice exclusive breast feeding
until 6 months. Majority (43.6%) hadplanned to give mixed feed as a large
percentage, considered breast-feeding practices embarrassing and old fashioned.
Higher educational level was significantly associated with; number of antenatal
visits (according to the prescribed schedule), willingness to breastfeed after
resuming the job, right time to have the 1st antenatal visit and
willingness to continue exclusive breast feeding until 6 months of the
newborn’s age. Although 90% of respondents were breast fed by their own mothers
but there was a highly significant association (p≤0.001) of willingness to breastfeed newborns in
those respondents whose mother in law breast-fed.
Conclusion: Education is found as a main
determinant that affects the attitude of primigravida towards breastfeeding.
Other variable that influences attitude is the attitude of surrounding people
regarding breast-feeding practices.
Hence,
it is recommended that health education programs on breastfeeding should be
incorporated in female adolescent education programs, which will result in the
building up of a positive attitude of future mothers towards breastfeeding
practices.
Keywords: Attitude,
Primigravida, Breast-Feeding
ABSTRACT
Background: Breast-feeding practice is one of the main determinants
that influence Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). To adopt this practice, mothers’
attitude plays a pivotal role. Attitude depends upon socio-cultural and
economical factors.
Objective: To assess factors affecting the attitude of
primigravida towards Breastfeeding in Ha’il City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, 156 primigravida were
recruited by using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected
by awell-structured, closed-ended questionnaire.
Results: Majority (51.3%) of our respondents were working ladies (employed,
labor, self-employed), and had a high educational level (40.3%). More than half
(54.5%) of the primigravida were willing to breastfeed their newborns. Thirty
percent of respondents had the intention to practice exclusive breast feeding
until 6 months. Majority (43.6%) hadplanned to give mixed feed as a large
percentage, considered breast-feeding practices embarrassing and old fashioned.
Higher educational level was significantly associated with; number of antenatal
visits (according to the prescribed schedule), willingness to breastfeed after
resuming the job, right time to have the 1st antenatal visit and
willingness to continue exclusive breast feeding until 6 months of the
newborn’s age. Although 90% of respondents were breast fed by their own mothers
but there was a highly significant association (p≤0.001) of willingness to breastfeed newborns in
those respondents whose mother in law breast-fed.
Conclusion: Education is found as a main
determinant that affects the attitude of primigravida towards breastfeeding.
Other variable that influences attitude is the attitude of surrounding people
regarding breast-feeding practices.
Hence,
it is recommended that health education programs on breastfeeding should be
incorporated in female adolescent education programs, which will result in the
building up of a positive attitude of future mothers towards breastfeeding
practices.
Keywords: Attitude,
Primigravida, Breast-Feeding