Determinants Of Infant Feeding Practices Of Hiv-Positive And Hiv-Negative Mothers In Pretoria, South Africa
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been shown to result in lowered risk of postnatal vertical HIV transmission compared to mixed breastfeeding (Mixed BF). Early breastfeeding cessation, or not breastfeeding at all, is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality amongst both HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants. The South African tradition of giving nutritive and non-nutritive foods to breastfeeding infants in the first few months of life is unique among African nations and warrants closer examination to identify maternal determinants that lead to early mixed feeding practices, commonly used supplemental foods/liquids, the timing of supplemental food introduction, and maternal perceptions of what constitutes mixed feeding. Additionally, understanding the determinants of general early infant feeding intent and practices among HIV-positive and -negative mothers has become germane again in light of the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and South Africa's updated national recommendations on prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and infant feeding practices in the context of HIV. Having this information will better direct PMTCT counseling, infant feeding interventions, and HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) child focused interventions. Methods: Participants and data were gathered in a larger prospective cohort study focused on the health and development of children born to HIV-positive mothers from 11 PMTCT clinics in the Tshwane region of South Africa. The larger study followed women who gave birth between January and July of 2011 and their children, Women were enrolled in the study at the time of birth and follow-up was conducted with all HIV positive women and a sample of one-third of HIV-negative women at three months. This study used bivariate analyses to identify significant associations between maternal HIV status and self reported feeding choices at birth and feeding practices within the first 3 months of life. Re…
abstract: Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been shown to result in lowered risk of postnatal vertical HIV transmission compared to mixed breastfeeding (Mixed BF). Early breastfeeding cessation, or not breastfeeding at all, is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality amongst both HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants. The South African tradition of giving nutritive and non-nutritive foods to breastfeeding infants in the first few months of life is unique among African nations and warrants closer examination to identify maternal determinants that lead to early mixed feeding practices, commonly used supplemental foods/liquids, the timing of supplemental food introduction, and maternal perceptions of what constitutes mixed feeding. Additionally, understanding the determinants of general early infant feeding intent and practices among HIV-positive and -negative mothers has become germane again in light of the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and South Africa's updated national recommendations on prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and infant feeding practices in the context of HIV. Having this information will better direct PMTCT counseling, infant feeding interventions, and HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) child focused interventions. Methods: Participants and data were gathered in a larger prospective cohort study focused on the health and development of children born to HIV-positive mothers from 11 PMTCT clinics in the Tshwane region of South Africa. The larger study followed women who gave birth between January and July of 2011 and their children, Women were enrolled in the study at the time of birth and follow-up was conducted with all HIV positive women and a sample of one-third of HIV-negative women at three months. This study used bivariate analyses to identify significant associations between maternal HIV status and self reported feeding choices at birth and feeding practices within the first 3 months of life. Re…
author: Ellis, Keith
keywords: Breastfeeding, HIV, Infant Feeding, Infectious Diseases, Mother-to-child transmission, South Africa
date published: 2013-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:16:00Z
provider: Yale University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Yale University