Assessment of Breastfeeding Promotion in Maternity Hospitals Based on Specified International Recommendations—Experiences From Germany

3 hónap 3 hét ago
Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
Background:The staff of maternity hospitals play an essential role in the start of breastfeeding. This study assessed specific aspects of breastfeeding promotion in German hospitals using the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the ...
Merlin Blendermann, Nele Hockamp, Erika Sievers, Thomas Lücke, Mathilde Kersting

Assessment of Breastfeeding Promotion in Maternity Hospitals Based on Specified International Recommendations—Experiences From Germany

3 hónap 3 hét ago
Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
Background:The staff of maternity hospitals play an essential role in the start of breastfeeding. This study assessed specific aspects of breastfeeding promotion in German hospitals using the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).Research Aim:To identify specific hospital practices and structures that are in compliance with the recommendations and those that still need to be improved.Method:A cross-sectional survey and descriptive analysis was conducted in 109 German hospitals. This web-based questionnaire examined the structural conditions and usual handling of breastfeeding support. Recommendations were reported using sub-criteria.Results:The implementation of the sub-criteria ranged from less than 25% to more than 90%. Hospitals were more likely to have a breastfeeding policy (85.3%, n = 93) than a breastfeeding coordinator (73.4%, n = 80). Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth and early breastfeeding initiation were implemented more frequently after a vaginal (89.9%, n = 98 and 71.6%, n = 78) than after Cesarean delivery (45.9%, n = 50 and 54.1%, n = 59). Additional feeding of fluids was usually restricted to a medical indication (70.6%, n = 77), however, the decision to feed formula was rarely made by hospital staff alone (27.5%, n = 30). Large hospitals (> 1000 births/year) had a written breastfeeding policy and a breastfeeding coordinator more frequently than smaller hospitals (p < 0.01, Fisher’s exact test).Conclusion:The use of sub-criteria of WHO recommendations helped identify critical parts of breastfeeding promotion in hospitals, providing concrete starting points for targeted interventions. This differentiated approach could be promising for future analyses of breastfeeding promotion.
Merlin Blendermann

Breastfeeding Measurement—What Does It Mean to “Wean?”

4 hónap ago
Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
The term “weaning” is used heterogeneously in scientific and gray literature, with no commonly agreed-upon definition. Weaning can describe the gradual transition in the infant diet, usually from milk feedings to complementary foods, but it is also commonly used to describe any gradual transition between milks, foods, or feeding modalities. In an epidemiological context, it may also refer to changing breastfeeding rates within a cohort. The meaning of weaning has changed over time and may vary by the scientific assumptions applied to this period of human development. For these reasons, we propose that investigators avoid using the term weaning, and substitute it with more precise terminology. We present a series of proposed standard terms with corresponding definitions to guide more precise and accurate reporting of the various potential meanings of the term in the scientific literature. The objective is to improve reporting and reproducibility of research in the field of breastfeeding and human lactation.
Melissa A. Theurich

Assessment of Cell Isolation From Human Milk Using Immunomagnetic Beads

4 hónap 1 hét ago
Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
Background:There is increasing interest in better understanding the immune cell composition of human milk and how these cells interact with neonatal immune development. However, consistent methods for immune cell isolation from human milk are lacking.Research Aim:Our aim was to systematically compare available cell isolation techniques to isolate T lymphocytes from human milk samples.Methods:This repeated measures study design compared three cell isolation methods using human milk samples: (1) centrifugation, (2) immunomagnetic bead isolation, and (3) a combination of both methods. We assessed the proportion and viability of CD3+, CD4+, CD25+ and regulatory T cells using flow cytometry in isolated cells to compare the performance of these isolation methods.Results:Immunomagnetic separation is a feasible method to isolate T lymphocytes in human milk, similar to blood. It improves target cell enrichment and cell viability compared to centrifugation, which may be an advantage when the goal is to characterize rare cell types or when cells are further used in functional assays. No excess cell activation (CD25 positivity) was observed with the use of magnetic beads.Conclusion:Immunomagnetic separation of human milk T lymphocytes may have advantages over centrifugation depending on the intended downstream use of cells.
Noor Radhi

Barriers and drivers to exclusive breastfeeding in Kyrgyzstan: a qualitative study with mothers and health workers

5 hónap 1 hét ago
The WHO/UNICEF global nutrition target for exclusive breastfeeding for six months is at least 70% of infants by 2030. However, global prevalence rates are 48% with variations between countries and within regio...
Cath Jackson, Marina Duishenkulova, Nurila Altymysheva, Jyldyz Artykbaeva, Raisa Asylbasheva, Eleonora Jumalieva, Anastasia Koylyu, Sian Lickess, Tursun Mamyrbaeva, Veerle Snijders, Julianne Williams and Tiina Likki

A randomized controlled, trial on effects of mobile phone text messaging in combination with motivational interviewing versus standard infant feeding counselling on breastfeeding and child health outcomes, among women living with HIV

5 hónap 1 hét ago
Despite efforts to promote optimal breastfeeding practices, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding is low in South Africa. We conducted a trial to determine whether text messaging plus motivational interviewi...
Moleen Zunza, Lehana Thabane, Louise Kuhn, Christine Els, Carl Lombard, Mark F. Cotton and Taryn Young