Study of breastfeeding performance index among infants less than 6 months age and its impaction on the infant morbidity in Gharbiya governorate, Egypt

Background: Worldwide, hunger disproportionately affects babies younger than six months. The benefit of breastfeeding increases as the breastfeeding performance index (BPI) rises. Aim and objectives: The purpose of this research is to determine what variables contribute to inadequate breastfeeding performance in babies younger than six months by evaluating their breastfeeding habits using the breastfeeding performance index (BPI). Subjects and methods: The study sample was randomly selected from all mothers attended the pediatric clinic and vaccination office of health offices in El Gharbiya governorate who had an infant ≤ 6 months. The calculated sample size was 201 infants≤ 6 months age using Epi Info® sample size calculator. Babies' socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, complete feeding patterns, medical history, and the seven BPI components were all recorded. In order to find out what causes bad breastfeeding, it was treated. Results: According to the breastfeeding performance index (BPI) score, 4.4 (±1.8) was the mean (+SD) of the BPI score. Around two thirds (68.6%) had poor breastfeeding (BPI) scores either low (35.3%) or medium (33.3%) while only (31.4%) had high BPI scores. About (50.2%)of the studied infants suffering from fever, (42.3%)suffering from a persistent cough accompanied by shallow, quick breathing and (42.3%) suffering from diarrhea in the last two weeks before the study. Conclusions: In addition to identifying at-risk populations who can benefit from breastfeeding promotion programs, the Breast-Feeding Performance Index (BPI) can assist establish a link between breastfeeding and newborn morbidity outcomes.