Clinical trial NCT05064982: Paternal Involvement in Breastfeeding
Official title: The Impact of Paternal Involvement on Breastfeeding
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: Breastfeeding
Paternal Behavior
Depression
Keywords: depression
breastfeeding
paternal depression
paternal involvement
marital relationship
Lead sponsor: Marmara University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-10-01
Enrollment: 230
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 60
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Fathers of one-month-old, term, healthy, breastfed infants

Brief summary: Paternal involvement in breastfeeding has been identified as a significant predictor in maternal breastfeeding outcomes. The main aim of this study is to examine the relationship between reported paternal breastfeeding support and paternal-infant attachment with exclusive breastfeeding and total breastfeeding duration. The hypothesis is that paternal involvement in breastfeeding increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, total breastfeeding duration and strengthen paternal-infant attachment.

Detailed description: Initiation, duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding are greatly influenced by paternal involvement in breastfeeding. Previous studies showed that fathers who are involved in the breastfeeding process have stronger attachments with their babies. However, research on fathers' involvement in their partners' breastfeeding is lacking and there are no comprehensive studies conducted on the effects of the paternal involvement and infant attachment on exclusive breastfeeding (EB) and total breastfeeding duration. Therefore, the aim of the study is to examine the relationship between fathers reported breastfeeding support and paternal-infant attachment with exclusive breastfeeding and total breastfeeding duration. Data will be collected from a tertiary university hospital. The study will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the researcher will approach healthy, term, one month old babies and their fathers who fulfilled the eligibility criteria and will invite them to participate in the study. Informed consent will be obtained from participating fathers. The Partner Breastfeeding Influence scale will be used to measure fathers' involvement in their partner's breastfeeding, Paternal-infant attachment, paternal depression, and marital adjustment will be measured with Paternal-Infant Attachment Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and Marital Adjustment Scale respectively. Four sets of questionnaires will be administered at two time points for the study. The first set will be administered at postpartum first month. The second set of data will be collected at postpartum six months. In the second phase, fathers participating in the study will be interviewed for breastfeeding duration and factors associated with cessation will be explored at postpartum 12 and 24 months.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

Fathers of

* one-month-old,
* healthy,
* breastfed infants

Exclusion Criteria:

* Infants with a birth weight less than 2500 grams
* Infants who are less than 37 weeks gestation
* Infants with prenatally suspected or diagnosed congenital defects
* Parents with major depression
* Divorced or separated couples

Primary outcomes:
measure: Exclusive breastfeeding duration
timeFrame: at 6 months
measure: Total breastfeeding duration
timeFrame: at 12 months
measure: Total breastfeeding duration
timeFrame: at 24 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in perceived paternal breastfeeding support
timeFrame: Baseline (postpartum 1st month) and 5 months after (at 6th Month)
measure: Change in Paternal-Infant Attachment
timeFrame: Baseline (postpartum 1st month) and 5 months after (at 6th Month)
measure: Change in paternal depression
timeFrame: Baseline (postpartum 1st month) and 5 months after (at 6th Month)
measure: Change in Marital Adjustment
timeFrame: Baseline (postpartum 1st month) and 5 months after (at 6th Month)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Istanbul
country: Turkey
facility: Marmara University School of Medicine
Study officials:
References: