Assessment of Infant Feeding Practices among HIV Positive Mothers Receiving ARV/ART and HIV Status of Their Infants with its Determinants in South and North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Back ground: Infant feeding practice is one of the challenging issues on prevention of MTCT of HIV particularly in developing countries due to the benefits and risks of replacement and exclusive breast feeding practice. Breast feeding by an infected mother increases the risk of transmission and provision of ARV prophylaxis for both mothers and her exposed infant with recommended infant feeding practice for HIV positive mothers reduces MTCT of HIV.
Objective: To assess the infant feeding practices of HIV Positive mothers receiving ARV/ART and HIV status of their infants with its determinants in South and North Wollo Zone. Methods: Institution based cross sectional study with both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted among 373 HIV positive mothers with their exposed infants. The study subjects were drawn from 21 health institutions in South and North Wollo Zone in the order of their arrival starting from January to April 2012 till the sample size was fulfilled. Quantitative data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire where as qualitative data were obtained from selected HIV positive mothers through in-depth interview with semi-structured interview guide. Results: The prevalence of HIV among infants was 7.8% with the following feeding practice Exclusive replacement feeding (ERF), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and mixed feeding (MF) were13.4 %, 74.8 %, and 11.8% respectively. The predictors for HIV status of infants were infant illness [AOR=7.23, 95%CI =(2.64, 19.78)], maternal illness [AOR=4.61, 95% CI=(1.52, 13.96)], maternal knowledge on PMTCT [AOR = 3.35, 95%CI = (1.22, 9.15)], place of delivery [AOR =5.00, 95%CI = (1.45, 17.17)], mode of delivery [AOR=5.20, 95%CI = (1.60, 16.95)] and, infant feeding practice with exclusive breast feeding [AOR=0.23, 95%CI=(0.08, 0.68)] .
Conclusions: In this study HIV status of the infant was determined by infant feeding practice, maternal and infant illness, and mother’s knowledge on PMTCT. Educating mothers focusing on PMTCT, early seeking of treatment during their illness and behavioral change on infant feeding practice with proper ARV/ART service are important interventions for PMTCT of HIV
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HIV positive mothers reduces MTCT of HIV