From: Effectiveness of targeting fathers for breastfeeding promotion: systematic review and meta-analysis
Effectiveness of targeting fathers for breast feeding promotion | ||||||
P - Expectant and new fathers I – Health education on breast feeding C – Educating only the mother O – Promotion of breast feeding | ||||||
Outcomes | Assumed riska | Corresponding riskb | Relative effect | No. of participants (studies) | Quality of evidence GRADE | Comments |
Exclusive BF for six months | 201 per 1000 | 411 per 1000 (318 to 534) | RR = 2.04 (1.58–2.65) | Moderatec | Meta-analysis done | |
EBF for four months | 194 per 1000 | 294 per 1000 (221 to 393) | RR = 1.52 (1.14 to 2.03) | Lowd | Meta-analysis done | |
Full formula feeding within two months | 247 per1000 | 170 per 1000 (128 to 230) | RR = 0.69 (0.52 to 0.93) | Moderatee | Meta-analysis done | |
Support of the father | 548 per 1000 | 783 per 1000 (668 to 920) | RR = 1.43f (1.22 to 1.68) | Highg | Meta-analysis done for two studies [75, 78] and narrative synthesis done for one study [73] | |
In the third study (Su 2016), fathers in the intervention group knew how to support continuation of breast feeding. When a breastfeeding related problem occurred, they provided solid support. The fathers in the control group did not know how to support even if they wanted to. | ||||||
Knowledge of the mothers on breast feeding (BKS scale and a developed tool) | In one study (Su 2016), mothers’ knowledge on breastfeeding increased by 19.75 points in the experimental group and by 14.81 in the control group (p = 0.009). In another study (Raesi 2014), the pre-study knowledge was not significantly different in the two groups whereas the post-intervention knowledge was 103 in the experimental group and 95.71 in the control group (P < 0.0001). | Moderateh | Narrative synthesis done | |||
Breast feeding related problems | 179 per 1000 | 43 per 1000 (18 to 102) | RR = 0.24 (0.10 to 0.57) | 280 [71] (1 study) | Highi | Narrative synthesis done |
Maternal attitudes towards breast feeding (IIFAS scale) | The increase of maternal attitudes towards breastfeeding was significantly more in the intervention group (p = 0.001) | 69 [73] (1 study) | Moderatej | Narrative synthesis done |