Exclusive breastfeeding practices and associated factors among lactating mothers of infants aged 6-24 months in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

Objective: In spite of the benefits associated with exclusive breastfeeding practice (EBP), the practice remains low in Ghana. This study investigates prevalence and factors associated with EBP among lactating mothers of infants aged 6-24 months in Metropolitan Kumasi. Cross-sectional hospital-based data were collected at 5 health facilities from 160 randomly sampled lactating mothers. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine factors associated with EBP.

Results: The prevalence of EBP was 50.6%. The study revealed that mothers aged 30-49 years (AOR = 1.948; 95% CI [1.146-3.310]), with normal delivery (AOR = 1.824; 95% CI [0.863-2.467]) and those who were unemployed (AOR = 1.202; 95% CI [0.557-2.593]) and without sore nipple (AOR = 1.890; 95% CI [1.534-3.484]) were significantly more likely to practise exclusive breastfeeding. The study further found that respondents with 3-4 deliveries were 0. 492 times significantly less likely to practise exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 0.492; 95% CI [0.274-0.886]). The study has established the primacy of socio-demographic and health-related factors such as mothers' age, employment status, number of deliveries (parity), mode of delivery and sore nipples in explaining EBP among lactating mothers. We recommend that policy on exclusive breastfeeding should consider multiple socio-demographic and health-related factors, especially, those associated with EBP.