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Meta-Analysis
. 2016 Dec 6;12(12):CD006425.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006425.pub4.

Antenatal breastfeeding education for increasing breastfeeding duration

Pisake Lumbiganon  1 , Ruth Martis  2 , Malinee Laopaiboon  3 , Mario R Festin  4 , Jacqueline J Ho  5 , Mohammad Hakimi  6
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Antenatal breastfeeding education for increasing breastfeeding duration

Pisake Lumbiganon et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: Breast milk is well recognised as the best food source for infants. The impact of antenatal breastfeeding (BF) education on the duration of BF has not been evaluated.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of antenatal breastfeeding (BF) education for increasing BF initiation and duration.

Search methods: We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register on 1 March 2016, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, 2016, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to 1 March 2016) and Scopus (January 1985 to 1 March 2016). We contacted experts and searched reference lists of retrieved articles.

Selection criteria: All identified published, unpublished and ongoing randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of formal antenatal BF education or comparing two different methods of formal antenatal BF education, on the duration of BF. We included RCTs that only included antenatal interventions and excluded those that combined antenatal and intrapartum or postpartum BF education components. Cluster-randomised trials were included in this review. Quasi-randomised trials were not eligible for inclusion.

Data collection and analysis: We assessed all potential studies identified as a result of the search strategy. Two review authors extracted data from each included study using the agreed form and assessed risk of bias. We resolved discrepancies through discussion. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach.

Main results: This review update includes 24 studies (10,056 women). Twenty studies (9789 women) contribute data to analyses. Most studies took place in high-income countries such as the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. In the first five comparisons, we display the included trials according to type of intervention without pooling data. For the 'Summary of findings' we pooled data for a summary effect.Five included studies were cluster-randomised trials: all of these adjusted data and reported adjustments as odds ratios (OR). We have analysed the data using the generic inverse variance method and presented results as odds ratios, because we were unable to derive a cluster-adjusted risk ratio from the published cluster-trial. We acknowledge that the use of odds ratio prevents the pooling of these cluster trials in our main analyses. One method of BF education with standard (routine) careThere were no group differences for duration of any BF in days or weeks. There was no evidence that interventions improved the proportion of women with any BF or exclusive BF at three or six months. Single trials of different interventions were unable to show that education improved initiation of BF, apart from one small trial at high risk of attrition bias. Many trial results marginally favoured the intervention but had wide confidence intervals crossing the line of no effect. BF complications such as mastitis and other BF problems were similar in treatment arms in single trials reporting these outcomes. Multiple methods of BF education versus standard careFor all trials included in this comparison we have presented the cluster-adjusted odds ratios as reported in trial publications. One three-arm study found the intervention of BF booklet plus video plus Lactation Consultant versus standard care improved the proportion of women exclusively BF at three months (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.40; women = 159) and marginally at six months (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.00 to 5.76; women = 175). For the same trial, an intervention arm without a lactation consultant but with the BF booklet and video did not have the same effect on proportion of women exclusively BF at three months (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.80 to 4.05; women = 159) or six months (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.30 to 2.70; women = 184). One study compared monthly BF sessions and weekly cell phone message versus standard care and reported improvements in the proportion of women exclusively BF at both three and six months (three months OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.95; women = 390; six months OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.40 to 4.11; women = 390). One study found monthly BF sessions and weekly cell phone messages improved initiation of BF over standard care (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.61 to 4.24; women = 380). BF education session versus standard care, pooled analyses for 'Summary of findings' (SoF)This comparison does not include cluster-randomised trials reporting adjusted odds ratios. We did not downgrade any evidence for trials' lack of blinding; no trial had adequate blinding of staff and participants. The SoF table presents risk ratios for all outcomes analysed. For proportion of women exclusively BF there is no evidence that antenatal BF education improved BF at three months (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.25; women = 822; studies = 3; moderate quality evidence) or at six months (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.30; women = 2161; studies = 4; moderate quality evidence). For proportion of women with any BF there were no group differences in BF at three (average RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.18; women = 654; studies = 2; I² = 60%; low-quality evidence) or six months (average RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.23; women = 1636; studies = 4; I² = 61%; high-quality evidence). There was no evidence that antenatal BF education could improve initiation of BF (average RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.09; women = 3505; studies = 8; I² = 69%; high-quality evidence). Where we downgraded evidence this was due to small sample size or wide confidence intervals crossing the line of no effect, or both.There was insufficient data for subgroup analysis of mother's occupation or education.

Authors' conclusions: There was no conclusive evidence supporting any antenatal BF education for improving initiation of BF, proportion of women giving any BF or exclusively BF at three or six months or the duration of BF. There is an urgent need to conduct a high-quality, randomised controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness and adverse effects of antenatal BF education, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence in this review is primarily relevant to high-income settings.

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Conflict of interest statement

Pisake Lumbiganon: none known Ruth Martis: A bursary from the Cochrane Health Promotion and Public Health Field was provided to support Ruth Martis to travel to a review authors meeting in Australia. The bursary was administrated by the SEA‐ORCHID project. Malinee Laopaiboon: none known Mario R Festin: I was employed as Medical officer and as fixed term staff from 2007 to early 2008 at the WHO and as professional staff (Lead Specialist) at the WHO HQ in Geneva from early 2009 to present. I received payment from United Laboratories Philippines from 2006 to 2007 on use of antibiotics in gynecologic surgery.

Jacqueline J Ho: none known Mohammad Hakimi: none known

Figures

1
1
Methodological quality summary: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item for each included study
2
2
Methodological quality graph: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item presented as percentages across all included studies
1.1
1.1. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 1 Duration of any breastfeeding.
1.2
1.2. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 2 Any breastfeeding at 3 months.
1.3
1.3. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 3 Any breastfeeding at 6 months.
1.4
1.4. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 4 Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months.
1.5
1.5. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 5 Exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months.
1.6
1.6. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 6 Initiation of breastfeeding.
1.7
1.7. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 7 Initiation of BF (cluster‐randomised trial).
1.8
1.8. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 8 Mastitis.
1.9
1.9. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 9 Breastfeeding complication (nipple pain).
1.10
1.10. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 10 Breastfeeding complication (nipple trauma).
1.11
1.11. Analysis
Comparison 1 One type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 11 Breastfeeding problems.
2.1
2.1. Analysis
Comparison 2 One type of BF education versus a different type of BF education, Outcome 1 Any breastfeeding at 3 months.
2.2
2.2. Analysis
Comparison 2 One type of BF education versus a different type of BF education, Outcome 2 Any breastfeeding at 6 months.
2.3
2.3. Analysis
Comparison 2 One type of BF education versus a different type of BF education, Outcome 3 Exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months.
2.4
2.4. Analysis
Comparison 2 One type of BF education versus a different type of BF education, Outcome 4 Initiation of BF.
3.1
3.1. Analysis
Comparison 3 Multiple methods of BF education versus a single method of BF education, Outcome 1 Duration of any breastfeeding (days).
3.2
3.2. Analysis
Comparison 3 Multiple methods of BF education versus a single method of BF education, Outcome 2 Any breastfeeding at 6 months.
4.1
4.1. Analysis
Comparison 4 Different combinations of multiple methods of providing BF education, Outcome 1 Any breastfeeding at 4 months (cluster‐randomised trial).
4.2
4.2. Analysis
Comparison 4 Different combinations of multiple methods of providing BF education, Outcome 2 Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months.
4.3
4.3. Analysis
Comparison 4 Different combinations of multiple methods of providing BF education, Outcome 3 Exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months.
5.1
5.1. Analysis
Comparison 5 Multiple methods of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 1 Duration of any breastfeeding (days).
5.2
5.2. Analysis
Comparison 5 Multiple methods of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 2 Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months.
5.3
5.3. Analysis
Comparison 5 Multiple methods of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 3 Exclusive breastfeeding at six months.
5.4
5.4. Analysis
Comparison 5 Multiple methods of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 4 Initiation of breastfeeding.
6.1
6.1. Analysis
Comparison 6 Summary of findings: one type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 1 Initiation of breastfeeding.
6.2
6.2. Analysis
Comparison 6 Summary of findings: one type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 2 Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months.
6.3
6.3. Analysis
Comparison 6 Summary of findings: one type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 3 Exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months.
6.4
6.4. Analysis
Comparison 6 Summary of findings: one type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 4 Any breastfeeding at 3 months.
6.5
6.5. Analysis
Comparison 6 Summary of findings: one type of BF education versus standard/routine care, Outcome 5 Any breastfeeding at 6 months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Update of

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Westphal 1995 {published data only}
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References to studies awaiting assessment

Bahri 2013 {published data only}
    1. Bahri N, Bagheri S, Erfani M, Rahmani R, Tolidehi H. The comparison of workshop‐training and booklet‐offering on knowledge, health beliefs and behavior of breastfeeding after delivery. Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility 2013;15(32):14‐22.
Bastani 2009 {published data only}
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References to ongoing studies

Maycock 2015 {published data only}
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References to other published versions of this review

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