Abstract:
Introduction: Globally colostrum avoidance practice had been reported across different
countries, in varied places with trends. A wide range of harmful new born feeding practices
were documented in Ethiopia even after the implementation of infant and young child feeding
guideline. As colostrum avoidance practice is a complex phenomenon which can be influenced
by geo-cultural settings, it needs a contextual thorough investigation.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of colostrum avoidance practices and its associated factors
among mothers of children aged less than six months in Sekota Zuria woreda, Waghimra Zone,
Amhara, Ethiopia, 2022GC.
Methods: A community based cross- sectional study was conducted in Sekota Zuria Woreda
from Jun 26 to July 30, 2022. Total samples of 421 study subjects were involved in the study
by using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected by using pretested structured
questionnaire and it was coded and entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS
version 21 for analysis. Descriptive analysis like frequency and mean were performed. Binary
and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed to identify associated factors.
Variables with p-value <0.05 with 95% confidence interval was identified as statistically
significant.
Results: The prevalence of colostrum avoidance practices in this study was 19.0% (80) [95%
CI (15.0 – 22.8). The mothers who didn‟t attend antenatal care [AOR= 2.94, 95% CI (1.1-7.8)],
home delivery [AOR= 4.64, 95% CI (2.0-10.75)],mothers who did not participated on
women‟s health developmental army [AOR=4.71, (95% CI (1.95-11.4)], pre lacteal feeding
[AOR=2.97, 95% CI (1.23-7.1)], poor knowledge on colostrum feeding [AOR= 3.02, 95% CI;
(1.2-7.6)] and negative attitude towards colostrum feeding [AOR= 6.5, 95% CI;(3.0-14.2)]
were significant factors associated with colostrum avoidance practice.
Conclusion: The overall prevalence of colostrum avoidance practice in the woreda is found to
be high when compared to world health organization recommendation. Therefore promoting
antenatal care, institutional delivery and creating awareness on the risks of pre lacteal feeding
and the advantages of colostrum feeding are recommended interventions to reduce colostrum
avoidance.
