Correlates of adherence to exclusive breastfeeding while on anti-retroviral therapy among mothers living with HIV in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Introduction: in low- and middle-income nations like Nigeria, vertical transmission of HIV is still common. Although there are recommended guidelines for infant feeding for women living with HIV, the level of adherence has significantly varied across African women. This study assessed the adherence to exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) guidelines and its associated factors among nursing mothers living with HIV/AIDS in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between March and August 2022 among nursing mothers living with HIV/AIDS. Structured and validated questionnaires were used to collect data from 400 participants and were analyzed for this purpose. Chi-square statistics; bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out at alpha 0.05 to determine the correlates of adherence to the national guideline of exclusive breastfeeding while on anti-retroviral therapy.

Results: the majority of the respondents were within the age range 30-39 years, 66.0% with a mean age of 34.6±5.6. Most respondents know (90.7%) of the mothers knew about the EBF policy and 65% adhered to the policy guidelines. Being employed/self-employed (OR=2.22, p=0.001); knowledge of the guidelines (OR=6.3, p=0.001); and support from household (OR=2.39, p=0.003), father/spouse (OR=65.6, p=0.001), close relatives (OR=3.5, p=0.001), healthcare (OR=38.2, p=0.01) were all associated with adherence to EBF. After adjusting for confounders, using the multivariate logistic regression, only support from father/spouse (OR=23.24, p=0.001) and healthcare (OR=47.6, p=0.01) were strong predictors of adherence to EBF guidelines.

Conclusion: inclusive education involving mothers, social support networks, and healthcare providers will increase adherence to national guidelines EBF among mothers living with HIV.