Infant feeding practices in the prevention of mother to child transmission in Onandjokwe district hospital, Namibia

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The impact of infant feeding practices in the prevention of mother-to-childtransmissionof HIV raised concerns in the field of health services. Breast feedingadds an additional 15-30% risk of HIV transmission to the infant; therefore, motherswho are HIV-positive are in need of information regarding safe infant feeding.A descriptive design for this particular study was applied with a primary quantitativeapproach. A convenient sample of sixty (n=60) participants between the ages of 15 –37 were taken from subjects that enrolled in the prevention of mother-to-childtransmission (PMTCT) programme in Onandjokwe district. The sample formed 85%of the target population (N=71). A structured questionnaire with closed and openendedquestions was used and completed by the researcher. Ethical approval for thestudy was obtained from the Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences,University of Stellenbosch. Permission to conduct the research was obtained from theMinistry of Health and Social Services, Namibia, and the Onandjokwe districtHospital.A pilot study was conducted that constituted 25% of the sample. Validity andreliability was insured by the pilot study and the consultation of an expert in HIVresearch and an expert in nursing research. The presentation of results was mostlydescriptive in nature by using frequency tables and a pie chart.The results showed that all participants (n=60/100%) were offered HIV counsellingand testing during antenatal care. Mothers who were HIV positive knew that there is apossibility that the baby might be infected through breast milk. Furthermore, the studyfound that 70% (n=42) of participants used breast feeding exclusively, 20% (n=12)used replacement feeding and 10% (n=6) used mixed feeding practices.It was concluded that pregnant women and mothers known to be HIV-infected shouldbe informed of the infant feeding practice recommended by the national or subnationalauthority to improve HIV-free survival of HIV-exposed infants. This includesinformation about the risks and benefits of various infant feeding options based on local assessments and guidance in selecting the most suitable option for their ownsituation.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University