The effect of home nurse visits on infant weight and breastfeeding: Systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Aims: The primary aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis is to evaluate the effects of home nurse visiting on infant weight and breastfeeding; the secondary aim is to determine the duration, frequency and content of home visits. Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed, CINAHL, Embase (Ovid), Web of Science, Google Scholar and DergiPark databases for publications between September 2000 and January 2019 was conducted using established methods in compliance with the PRISMA‐P declaration guideline. Two authors independently evaluated the studies for inclusion and bias, extracted the data and checked their accuracy. Results: This meta‐analysis includes a total of 34 studies, 28 on breastfeeding and nine on infant weight. The average effect size of the 28 studies investigating the effect on breastfeeding was found to be OR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.73–2.90; p < 0.001. The average effect size of the nine studies investigating the effect on infant weight was found to be ES: 0.197; 95% CI: 0.027–0.368; p < 0.05. Conclusion: There is an association between nurse home visits and breastfeeding and infant weight. Home visits by nurses should continue to remain within the nursing role and be analysed appropriately for mother and baby health. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Two of the most important factors affecting infant morbidity and mortality are infant weight and breastfeeding.Although breastfeeding has numerous benefits for the baby, breastfeeding rates are decreasing in the world and in Turkey. Breastfeeding improves infant health and supports development.One of the factors that negatively affects infant health is low or below expected body weight. Inadequate weight gain will in turn negatively affect the healthy growth of the baby.It has been found that care, education and support related to breastfeeding and infant weight improve outcomes for babies and their mothers but there is no evidence that home visitation is an effective way to deliver this care. What this paper adds? Review results indicate home visits have a significant effect on improving infant health. A positive effect was detected between nurse home visits and breastfeeding and infant weight. The implications of this paper: Home visits should be presented and analysed appropriately for the mother and baby's health.Education, care and support during home visits help mothers breastfeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]