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Maternal exposure to intimate partner violence and breastfeeding practices in 51 low-income and middle-income countries: A population-based cross-sectional study

Author

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  • Rishi Caleyachetty
  • Olalekan A Uthman
  • Hana Nekatebeb Bekele
  • Rocio Martín-Cañavate
  • Debbie Marais
  • Jennifer Coles
  • Briony Steele
  • Ricardo Uauy
  • Peggy Koniz-Booher

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a major global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), that is associated with poor physical and mental health, but its association with breastfeeding practices is understudied. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Breastfeeding within the first hour of birth is critical to newborn survival, and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is recognised to offer significant health benefits to mothers and their infants. We examined the association of maternal exposure to IPV with early initiation of breastfeeding (within 1 hour of birth) and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months. Methods and findings: We assessed population-based cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 51 LMICs. Data from the most recent DHS in each country (conducted between January 2000 and January 2019) with data available on IPV and breastfeeding practices were used. By WHO region, 52.9% (27/51) were from Africa, 11.8% (6/51) from the Americas, 7.8% (4/51) from the Eastern Mediterranean, 11.8% (6/51) from Europe, 11.8% (6/51) from South-East Asia, and 3.9% (2/51) from the Western Pacific. We estimated multilevel logistic regression models for any IPV and each type of IPV separately (physical violence, sexual violence, and emotional violence), accounting for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Depending on specification, the sample size varied between 95,320 and 102,318 mother–infant dyads. The mean age of mothers was 27.5 years, and the prevalence of any lifetime exposure to IPV among mothers was 33.3% (27.6% for physical violence, 8.4% for sexual violence, and 16.4% for emotional violence). Mothers exposed to any IPV were less likely to initiate breastfeeding early (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.88 [95% CI 0.85–0.97], p

Suggested Citation

  • Rishi Caleyachetty & Olalekan A Uthman & Hana Nekatebeb Bekele & Rocio Martín-Cañavate & Debbie Marais & Jennifer Coles & Briony Steele & Ricardo Uauy & Peggy Koniz-Booher, 2019. "Maternal exposure to intimate partner violence and breastfeeding practices in 51 low-income and middle-income countries: A population-based cross-sectional study," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(10), pages 1-15, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pmed00:1002921
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002921
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    Cited by:

    1. Chelsea M. Cooper & Mary Drake & Justine A. Kavle & Joyce Nyoni & Ruth Lemwayi & Lemmy Mabuga & Anne Pfitzer & Mary Makungu & Elizabeth Massawe & John George, 2021. "Implementing a Novel Facility-Community Intervention for Strengthening Integration of Infant Nutrition and Family Planning in Mara and Kagera, Tanzania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-21, April.
    2. MichaeLynn Kanichy (Makah) & Lexie Schmidt & RaeAnn Anderson & Grace Njau & Amy Stiffarm (Aaniiih) & Matthew Schmidt & Anastasia Stepanov & Andrew Williams, 2023. "Examining the Role of Interpersonal Violence in Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding in North Dakota (ND PRAMS 2017–2019)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-14, April.

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