?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Prevalence+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+and+its+determinants+in+first+6+months+of+life%3A+A+prospective+study&rft.creator=Chudasama%2C+Rajesh+K&rft.creator=Amin%2C+Chikitsa+D&rft.creator=Parikh%2C+Yogesh+N&rft.subject=Online+Journal+of+Health+and+Allied+Sciences&rft.description=Background%3A+Exclusive+breastfeeding+for+first+6+months+of+life+is+recommended+under+Infant+and+Young+Child+Feeding+practices+in+India.+The+objective+of+present+study+was+to+estimate+the+prevalence+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+during+first+6+months+of+life+of+babies+and+to+identify+factors+that+interfere+with+the+practice+in+the+study+area.+Methods%3A+A+prospective+cohort+of+462+women+who+delivered+at+maternity+unit+of+Government+Medical+College+%26+Hospital%2C+Rajkot%2C+which+is+a+tertiary+care+centre+for+the+district%2C+was+studied.+Data+collection+was+done+at+hospital+as+well+as+during+home+visits+of+babies+at+1%2C+3+and+6+months.+Factors+related+to+cessation+of+breastfeeding+were+analyzed+using+univariate%2C+bivariate+and+multivariate+analysis.+Results%3A+All+462+mothers+reported+breastfeeding+their+newborns.+Prevalence+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+reported+at+3+months+was+97%25+which+declined+to+62%25+by+6+months+of+age+of+infants.+Bivariate+analysis+revealed+no+significant+association+between+interruption+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+before+6+months+of+age+and+various+demographic%2C+socioeconomic%2C+maternal+and+infant+characteristics.+Multivariate+analysis+by+logistic+regression+demonstrated+no+association+between+discontinuation+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+and+socioeconomic+status%2C+maternal+education+and+maternal+age%2C+number+of+antenatal+visits%2C+maternal+employment+and+initiation+of+breastfeeding+after+delivery.+Conclusion%3A+Exclusive+breastfeeding+prevalence+rate+found+higher+than+at+national+level+indicating+better+feeding+practices+in+these+part+of+India.+Also%2C+factors+classically+considered+as+supportive+for+breastfeeding+had+shown+no+association+with+breastfeeding+pattern+in+present+study.&rft.publisher=Dr.+BS+Kakkilaya&rft.contributor=Kakkilaya%2C+Dr+Srinivas&rft.date=2009-05-05&rft.type=Journal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6559%2F1%2F2009-1-3.pdf&rft.identifier=++Chudasama%2C+Rajesh+K+and+Amin%2C+Chikitsa+D+and+Parikh%2C+Yogesh+N++(2009)+Prevalence+of+exclusive+breastfeeding+and+its+determinants+in+first+6+months+of+life%3A+A+prospective+study.++%5BJournal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6559%2F