Prevalence and Associated Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Rural Areas of Burkina Faso

Introduction: Child malnutrition remains a major public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa and is reported to be associated with half of child deaths in Burkina Faso. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) as a major intervention to improve overall child nutritional status and survival for the first 6 months of life. The study objectives were to assess the prevalence rates of EBF and to identify factors associated with improved EBF rates. Methods: As part of the evaluation of the Alive and Thrive interventional project in a Western area of Burkina Faso, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional survey in twelve villages randomly selected in the “Boucle du Mouhoun” region. The EBF-prevalence was calculated as the proportion of children who were exclusively breastfed. The factors associated with increased EBF-prevalence were identified using multivariable logistic regression models. The results were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were constructed. Results: Overall, 157 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the study. with an average of 13 pairs per village. The average age (±SD) of the babies at inclusion was 2.6 months (± 1.2), and 51.6% were girls. The average age (±SD) of the mothers was 27.7 years (± 7). Overall, 96.2% of mothers were married and 61% had no formal education. The EBF-prevalence rate was 66.2% (95% CI: 46.8-81.4) using the 24-hours recall period. The factors associated with improved EBF-rates were the intervention study arm (adjusted OR: 3.38, <I>P</I> =0.003) and the early initiation of EBF within 72 hours of delivery (adjusted OR: 10.95, <I>P</I> <0.001). Conclusion: This study clearly highlights the relevance of EBF promotion around the time of birth and the importance of early initiation of EBF within 72 hours of birth. A policy focused on these two practices should be implemented in rural areas of Burkina Faso.