Clinics in Mother and Child Health

Abstract

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Colostrum Feeding Among Antenatal Care Attendant Pregnant Mothers in Goba Referral Hospital, Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Southeast of Ethiopia

Debebe Wordofa, Fikadu Nugusu Dessalegn and Tilahun Ermeko Wanamo*

The role of colostrum in promoting growth and development of the newborn as well as fighting with the infection is widely acknowledged. In Ethiopia, there are differences in cultures in the acceptability of colostrum and the prevalence of colostrum feeding. Although, breastfeeding is a common practice in Ethiopia, there are difference on awareness, attitude and practice of pregnant mothers regarding colostrum.

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards colostrum feeding among antenatal care attendant pregnant mothers in Goba Referral Hospital, Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Southeast of Ethiopia.

Methods: Institutional based cross sectional descriptive study design was conducted among 275 pregnant mothers in in Goba Referral Hospital, Bale Zone, and Oromia Region, southeast of Ethiopia. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data was collected using structured interviewer administered questionnaires. The data was entered and analyzed by using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version-20.0. Descriptive statistics; frequency and percentages were calculated, and chi square test was computed to see association between some socio-demographic variables, and knowledge, attitude and practice. p-value<0.05 was used to declare presences of association. The result was presented by frequency tables, charts, graphs and percentage.

Result: A total of 275 mothers participated in this study with the response rate of 100%.Among the study participant 235 (85.5%) were knowledgeable and 40 (14.5%) were not knowledgeable. 69.8% of mothers initiate breast feeding within the first one hour after delivery. Majority of the mothers 202 (80.4%) had positive attitude towards colostrum. Majority mothers 190 (69.2%) gave colostrum for their last child and the remaining (30.8%) were discard colostrum’s. Majority of the respondents 156 (57%) had information about colostrum from different source like Television (TV) 66 (42.3%), health professionals 59 (37.8%), radio 11 (7.1%) and relatives 3 (1.9%). Educational level, place of residence, monthly income, place of delivery, accessing information, presence of Antenatal care and postnatal care had association with practice of colostrum feeding. Number of children, antenatal care and accessing information had association with knowledge about colostrum feeding. Age, residence, educational level, number of children and accessing information had association with attitude towards colostrum feeding.

Conclusion and recommendation: Even though mothers’ knowledge and attitude seems higher still gaps were seen clearly. Mothers’ practice is not satisfactory because mothers believe that colostrum’s as it is dirty part of milk, forbidden in culture and it cause abdominal cramp and diarrhea. It is recommended to set strategies to promote colostrum feeding.

Published Date: 2021-10-29; Received Date: 2021-10-08