Providing Peer Mother Support Through Cell Phone and Group Meetings to Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding in Kenya

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This behavioural support intervention trial will investigate the potential to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates in an urban Kenyan community through peer mother support delivered either by cell phone or through group meetings. It will follow a cohort of more than 800 women attending antenatal care at a large public hospital, and compare indicators of breastfeeding and infant and maternal health between groups receiving one or other type of peer mother support. The main part of the study will test the primary hypothesis that peer group and cell phone based support can both increase rates of EBF at 3 months by 20% relative to a control group.

Detailed Description
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The general objective was to assess whether participation from late pregnancy through to 3 months postpartum in bi-weekly cell phone based peer support (CPS) or monthly peer-led support groups (PSG) can increase adoption and duration of EBF amongst low-income women in Kenya served by a nationalized BFHI certified hospital above benchmarks achieved with current approaches and standard of care by existing facility-based support (SOC). The study aimed to reach the following specific objectives related to message delivery on EBF: assess the feasibility of two innovative approaches (CPS and PSG) to deliver extended postnatal peer support for EBF by women in an urban, low-income country setting; compare the effectiveness of these two innovative approaches to existing facility-based support; and compare the relative effectiveness of each type of peer support intervention.

Official Title
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Effectiveness of a Baby-friendly Hospital Based Mothers' Support Group, and a Cell-phone Based Peer Support Program in Supporting Exclusive Breastfeeding in an Urban Kenyan Community.

Conditions
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Breastfeeding

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Peer mother support for continued exclusive breastfeeding


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria for mothers: attending antenatal care services at the target facility; confirmed pregnant by a health care worker; 24-32 weeks gestation at enrollment; competency in KiSwahili or English (or both) current resident of Nakuru municipality and expecting to reside there for the next 6 months; intend to breastfeed their newborn; self-report of any condition preventing the subject from breastfeeding (excluding HIV infection) no history of mental illness either HIV-negative on test result OR referred bto PMTCT services following verified positive HIV-test results willing to participate in study described in IC forms 18-45 years of age

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: CPS, cell phone based peer support<br>Cell phone base peer mother support for continued exclusive breastfeeding | Behavioral: Peer mother support for continued exclusive breastfeeding<br>* Peer counselling on breastfeeding beginning in third trimester and continuing until 3 months postpartum<br>|
| Active Comparator: PSG, group meeting based peer support<br>Group based peer Cell phone base peer mother support for continued exclusive breastfeeding | Behavioral: Peer mother support for continued exclusive breastfeeding<br>* Peer counselling on breastfeeding beginning in third trimester and continuing until 3 months postpartum<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Current standard of care and support (national health system) | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| exclusive breastfeeding |  | 3 months post partum | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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breastfeeding exclusively