Breastfeeding-Related Practices in Rural Ethiopia: Colostrum Avoidance.

The practices of colostrum avoidance and prelacteal feeding, which are common in many developing countries, including Ethiopia, are firmly rooted in ancient traditions. The main objective of this work is to identify the prevalence of colostrum avoidance and study its associated factors among mothers of children aged less than 2 years old in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study on the practice of colostrum avoidance/prelacteal feeding was conducted in a rural community with 114 mothers of children under 2 years old. Our results reflected that colostrum avoidance and prelacteal feeding were practiced by 56.1% of mothers. The percentage of women who started breastfeeding in the first hour after birth, as recommended by the WHO, was 2.6%. Of the women who practiced colostrum avoidance, 67.2% gave birth at home, and 65.6% were attended by relatives. The likelihood of avoiding colostrum increases in mothers who have a lower educational level, who did not receive health care at the time of delivery, who think that colostrum is dirty and dangerous and who did not receive information about breastfeeding from healthcare professionals. The knowledge emanating from this work may be useful in designing new breastfeeding education programs and/or interventions in Ethiopia and other developing countries.

The Impact of Moringa oleifera Supplementation on Anemia and other Variables during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: A Narrative Review.

Moringa is a plant commonly used for its medical properties. However, studies have shown contradictory results. The aim of this review is to evaluate the possible association between the use of Moringa during pregnancy and breastfeeding in relation to the health status of both the mother and the baby. A search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases on the literature published during the period 2018-2023 was conducted up until March 2023. The population/exposure/comparison/outcome (PECO) approach was used to select studies on pregnant women, mother-child pairs, and the use of Moringa. Out of the 85 studies initially identified, 67 were excluded, leaving 18 for full-text evaluation. After assessment, 12 were finally included in the review. In the articles included in this work, Moringa is administered during pregnancy or in the postnatal period in the form of leaf powder (MOLP), as a leaf extract (MLE), as an ingredient associated with other supplements or in preparations. It appears to influence several variables during pregnancy and in the postnatal period such as the mother's haematochemical profile, milk production, the child's socio-personal development and the incidence of morbidity during the first 6 months of life. None of the studies analysed reported contraindications to the use of the supplement during pregnancy and lactation.