IJCM_25A: Effect of one-to-one counselling of mothers attending an immunization clinic on breastfeeding among infants- A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: To improve breastfeeding practices, many interventions have been studied at various critical contact points. Our study aimed to improve exclusive breastfeeding by integrating a limited number of counselling sessions with routine immunization visits. Objective: To find out the effect of one-to-one counselling on six months of exclusive breastfeeding among infants attending immunization clinic. Methodology: An open-labelled, randomised controlled trial was conducted from September 2022 in the Immunization clinic at the Urban Health Training Centre of Dept of Community Medicine, UCMS, at Ghazipur, New Delhi. Mother-Child dyads visiting the clinic (child between 1 ½ to 3 ½ months) were recruited for the study based on certain appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria. One-to-one counselling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding were provided, respectively, in the first visit (at the time of Pentavalent 1 or 2 vaccination,) and the second visit (at the time of Pentavalent 3 vaccination) to the intervention group. The control group received routine care. In the follow-up visit at 9 months for measles vaccination, a final assessment was done for both the groups. Analysis was done based on Intention to treat and per protocol approaches. Results: 92 Mother-child dyads were recruited in the study, of which 46 were randomized each in the intervention and control group. 6 were lost to follow-up on the second visit and 13 on the third (follow-up) visit. At the first visit, 56.5% of the mothers in the intervention group and 63% of mothers in the control group were exclusively breastfeeding. The proportion of mothers who exclusively breastfed their infant till six months of age were 65.2% in the intervention and 39.1% in the control group with an OR of 2.92(1.25, 6.81). Conclusion: One-to-one counselling at an immunization clinic has an effect on increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.