Rashida Sultana, Iqra Yasin.
Awareness about breastfeeding practices among pregnant and postnatal women during COVID-19 pandemic.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;17(1):12-6.

Objective: To determine the awareness of breast feeding practices among pregnant, and postnatal women during COVID-19 pandemic and its association with education, occupation, parity, and monthly income. Methodology: The study was conducted at Sharif Medical City Hospital from June to August 2020.Data was collected on a structured proforma in Urdu language. Purposive sampling technique was used. Level of awareness was categorized as poor, average and good based on percentage of correct answers as ≤33%, 34-66%, and 67-100% respectively. Quantitative and qualitative study variables were analyzed by mean and percent respectively using SPSS 23. Chi square was used to determine significance of association. Results: Total number of patients were four hundred. Their mean age was 27.57±3.96 years and mean parity was 2.14±1.22. Most of the study participants were multipara in 225 (56.3%) cases, and house wives in 386(96.5%) cases. Only 28 (7.0%) were illiterate while 372 (93%) have varying degree of education. Level of awareness about breast feeding was good in 133 (33.3%), average and poor in 123(30.8%), and 144(36%) respectively. However only 21% women were aware of the fact that a mother infected with COVID-19 can feed their baby taking care of respiratory, and hand hygiene. Only 35% study participants had knowledge that in case a mother is severely ill with COVID-infection; breast milk can be extracted while taking precautionary measures. Similarly 77.5% mother think that a mother infected with COVID-19 cannot keep her baby with her taking precautionary measures. Education status is significantly associated with awareness regarding breast feeding practices Conclusion: The awareness peculiar to COVID-19 breast feeding practices was low, and significantly associated with education level of women.

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