Doctoral Degrees (Paediatrics and Child Health)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Paediatrics and Child Health) by Subject "AIDS (Disease) in infants -- South Africa -- Western Cape"

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    Social and contextual factors affecting HIV-infected women’s feeding practices for their infants in normal practice settings : effects on growth and morbidity
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Zunza, Moleen; Cotton, Mark F.; Esser, Monika; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Paediatrics and Child Health.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: the significant reduction in HIV transmission through breastfeeding by antiretroviral treatment guided the current recommendations favouring breastfeeding which has to be continued until 12 months of age. Infant feeding guidelines for HIV-infected women in low-resourced settings are primarily informed by studies that spend much effort in controlling guideline adherence by investigators and participants. These studies however may not reflect the real world effects of the feeding options on important outcomes because such efforts are less enforced or rear in primary care settings. Reliable studies are lacking for predicting the real world effects of the feeding options on infant growth and morbidity to guide healthcare authorities in decision making. Social and contextual factors affecting HIV-infected women’s infant feeding practices are major barriers to uptake of infant feeding recommendations to levels that would result in a significant impact. Yet less attention is paid to these during guideline development and implementation. Methods: To address this knowledge gap we performed a longitudinal cohort study in primary healthcare settings, over a 12 months period. The objectives were to a) describe HIV-infected women’s infant feeding practices b) compare infant feeding practices of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected breastfeeding women c) assess growth and infection-related hospitalizations among predominantly breastfed and predominantly formula-fed HIV-exposed uninfected infants. We explored infant feeding experiences of a sub-set of HIV-infected women who were followed-up for at least 6 months post-delivery in the longitudinal cohort. Results: We found that few HIV-infected women chose breastfeeding, and among those who did, many switched to formula feeding early. The proportion of women who continued predominantly breastfeeding was only slightly lower among HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected women (p = 0.0005). These differences were seen from about two weeks, and persisted throughout follow-up. By about four months, half of the HIV-infected women had switched to predominant formula feeding. However, the proportion of HIV-uninfected women who switched to formula feeding was also relatively high. The dual infant feeding option employed by the Western Cape PMTCT program while transitioning from formula feeding policy confused HIV-infected women who were worried that their child may contract HIV through breastmilk because of conflicting messages they received from healthcare providers, possibly explaining why some women stopped breastfeeding. Women’s interpretation of information about risks and benefits of infant feeding options, formula feeding stigma and the quality of infant feeding counselling affected women’s infant feeding practices. Mean weight velocity Z-scores (95% CI) of predominantly breastfed infants was -0.70 (-1.31 to -0.09; p = 0.024) lower than that of predominantly formula fed infants in the two to four months age interval. Protection against infections by breastfeeding was minimal and insignificant, odds ratio (OR) 0.95 (95% CI 0.33 to 2.74). In conclusion, it is important that all women, whether HIV-infected or not, be educated that breastfeeding is the feeding of choice in this setting. The potential of breastfeeding to reduce risks of infections to levels similar to those observed under highly controlled settings, involves changing women’s infant feeding practices. Strategies to promote and sustain continued breastfeeding by women, to levels that would result in a significant impact on the growth and protection against infections of their children are urgently needed. The strategies should be guided by social and contextual factors affecting women’s feeding practices