Abstract: (8562 Views)
Background and purpose: Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth has an
important role in preventing children morbidity and mortality. Understanding the factors that influence
exclusive breastfeeding is critical in promoting this behavior. This study aimed to determine the factors
predicting exclusive breastfeeding among children of mothers attending primary health centers in Sari.
Material and methods: In a cross-sectional study 400 mothers with children under one year
were randomly selected. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The questionnaire’s
content validity and reliability was previously approved. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was
used to identify the predictors of exclusive breastfeeding.
Results: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth was
86.20% . The mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 3.2±1.08 months. Also, the prevalence of
breastfeeding after six months was 81.6%. Living in their own house and having a supportive husband
were independently associated with exclusive breastfeeding.
Conclusion: Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding as a maternal child health index in Sari shows
that breastfeeding behavior is well established in this region. High rate of exclusive breastfeeding
signifies the role of family health programs in this region.