Abstract:
Background: Optimal breastfeeding is essential for the survival, growth, and development of
children, as well as the health of mothers. Globally, optimal breastfeeding practices are still
low: only 42% of newborns start breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, 41% of infants
less than 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed, and only 45% of mother’s breastfeed for
at least two years. Every year, it is estimated that optimal breastfeeding practices might avoid
823,000 child deaths. However, breastfeeding practices are not optimal in Ethiopia. Male
partners play a vital but frequently neglected role in the promotion of breastfeeding practices,
and they are currently not included in health-care providers' breastfeeding education. The
effect of breastfeeding interventions delivered to male partners on optimal breastfeeding has
not been studied in the Ethiopian context.
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of breastfeeding education and support provided to male
partners on optimal breastfeeding practice in Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia.
Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate the effect of
breastfeeding education and support provided to male partners on optimal breastfeeding
practice compared to routine care at the community level. The intervention will be provided
to the mothers and male partners by trained village health workers. The mothers and male
partners in the Intervention Group (IG) will receive postnatal breastfeeding education and
support, but those in the Control Group (CG) will receive routine care. The breastfeeding
education and support intervention is comprised of four components: 1) Antnatal BF
education on their 3rd trimester of pregnancy, 2) providing specific take-home print materials,
3) Telephone call counseling and 4) Individual home visit. A total of 408 couples in their
third trimenster pregnancy will be recruited to either the intervention group (204) or a control
group (204) from 16 clusters (Kebeles) and the duration of the intervention is 6 months. Epidata version 3.1 will be used to enter data, and STATA version 14.0 will be used to analyze
it. The analysis will be done by intention to treat approach. Generalized Estimating Equation
(GEE) model will be used to dteremine the effect of the intervention on optimal breastfeeding
practice. P values < 0.05 will be used to declare statistical significance.
Expected outcomes: Improved optimal breastfeeding practice
Work plan and Budget: the total duration of the research from proposal development to
completion is from September 2020 to May 2023 and is stated on the work plan. A total of
310,864 ETB budget is proposed to conduct the research
