Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Mothers of Children Aged 0-6 Months in Brazzaville: The Case of Talangai Health District in 2018

Background: Poor nutrition during a child's early years can have irreversible consequences for their health. The objective of our study was to identify the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among mothers of children 0 to 6 months in the Talangai Health District (THD). Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study carried out from April 17 to July 17, 2018 in the THD. Our study involved 256 mothers of children 0-6 months old in THD Health Facilities (HF). The logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with EBF. Epi Info software version 3.5.4 was used for data entry and the STATA 14 program for data analysis. Results: The average age of the mothers was 27 years old. More than half of the mothers were between 15-25 years old or 53.9%. The majority of mothers were housewives (63.3%) and more than half had a secondary education (60.9%). There was a predominance of separated or divorced mothers, 71.1% and the third rank of the child, 38.3%. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 36.7%. Being a middle or senior manager was significantly associated with breastfeeding, AOR=2.9 [1.5, 5.3], p-value <0.0001. Conclusion: The practice of breastfeeding among mothers of children aged 0 to 6 months is still low and few determinants influence it. In order to promote the health of mothers and children, efforts still need to be made to strengthen breastfeeding for mothers of children 0-6 months.