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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Nov;124(5):961-968.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000481.

Antenatal education to increase exclusive breastfeeding: a randomized controlled trial

Ka Lun Wong  1 , Daniel Yee Tak Fong, Irene Lai Yin Lee, Sing Chu, Marie Tarrant
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Antenatal education to increase exclusive breastfeeding: a randomized controlled trial

Ka Lun Wong et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a professional one-to-one antenatal breastfeeding support and education intervention on the exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding.

Methods: A total of 469 primiparous women who attended the antenatal clinics of two geographically distributed public hospitals in Hong Kong were randomized to receive either standard antenatal care or a one-to-one antenatal breastfeeding support and education session. The primary outcome was the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum. Secondary outcomes were the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months postpartum as well as the overall duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding across the first 6 months postpartum.

Results: The exclusive breastfeeding rate in the intervention group was 37.8% at 6 weeks postpartum compared with 36.4% in the standard care group (P=.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.08 to 0.11). There were no significant differences between the two treatment groups in exclusive breastfeeding rates at 3 and 6 months or in the overall duration of any (hazard ratio [HR] 1.11, 95% CI 0.88-1.40] or exclusive breastfeeding (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.79-1.17). The study had a least 80% power to detect a 50% increase in the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum.

Conclusion: In a setting with a high breastfeeding initiation rate, one-to-one antenatal breastfeeding support and education did not increase the exclusivity or duration of breastfeeding.

Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01648114.

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References

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    1. Tarrant M, Fong DY, Wu KM, Lee IL, Wong EM, Sham A, et al.. Breastfeeding and weaning practices among Hong Kong mothers: a prospective study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2010;10:27.
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    1. Tarrant M, Wu KM, Fong DY, Lee IL, Wong EM, Sham A, et al.. Impact of baby-friendly hospital practices on breastfeeding in Hong Kong. Birth 2011;38:238–45.

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