Mary Idowu Edward¹*, Mary Opeyemi Adigun¹, Taiwo Adebayo Olomiye² and Susan Olubunmi Kolawole³

¹Department of Adult and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing Science, University of Medical Sciences, Akure Campus, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
²Department of Entrepreneurial and General Studies, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria
³Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Mary Idowu Edward, Department of Adult and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing Science, University of Medical Sciences, Akure Campus, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Received: October 27, 2022; Published: January 09, 2023

Abstract

Background: Given the countless benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to mothers and infants, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life. However, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding is still not at the acceptable level most especially in the developing countries. There is much interest in the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding educational interventions on knowledge and attitude of pregnant women.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the effect of an educational intervention on the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards exclusive breastfeeding in Iju Itaogbolu, Akure Ondo State.

Method/Design: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 40 pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy in their third trimester. The pregnant women assigned to the intervention were attending antenatal care at the hospital. The designed educational content consisted of topics which include the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, colostrum, correct attachment, rooming-in, feeding on demand and the risks of not exclusively breastfeeding.

Results: The participants’ exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and attitude was poor prior to intervention but this improves after educational intervention. The subtotal knowledge scores showed a statistically significant improvement immediately after the intervention. The median total attitude percent score was 80 (74.1–83.5) and significantly improved immediately after the intervention. There was a significant difference in the knowledge before and after intervention P=0,000. However, the no significant difference between knowledge and decision to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

Conclusion: It is concluded that this present study supports the effect of intervention during pregnancy on exclusive breastfeeding, the intervention should therefore be extended to the intrapartum and postpartum period to influence mothers attitude towards practice of exclusive breastfeeding.

Keywords: Health Educational Intervention; Exclusive Breastfeeding; Knowledge; Attitude; Practice

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Citation

Citation: Mary Idowu Edward., et al. “Effect of Educational Intervention on the Knowledge and Attitude of Pregnant Women Towards Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding in General Hospital Iju Itaogbolu, Ondo State, Nigeria". Acta Scientific Women's Health 5.2 (2023): 07-15.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Mary Idowu Edward., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.