Community Mobilization in Mumbai Slums to Improve Perinatal Care and Outcomes: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Effect of community-based peer counsellors on exclusive breastfeeding practices in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a randomised controlled trial The effect of peer counselors on breastfeeding rates in the neonatal intensive care unit: results of a randomized controlled trial. Effect of women's groups and volunteer peer counselling on rates of mortality, morbidity, and health behaviours in mothers and children in rural Malawi (MaiMwana): a factorial, cluster-randomised controlled trial An educational intervention to promote appropriate complementary feeding practices and physical growth in infants and young children in rural Haryana, India. Breast-feeding patterns, time to initiation, and mortality risk among newborns in southern Nepal. Effects of exclusive breastfeeding intervention on child growth and body composition: the MINIMat trial, Bangladesh First Steps for Mommy and Me: A Pilot Intervention to Improve Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors of Postpartum Mothers and Their Infants The effect of participatory women's groups on infant feeding and child health knowledge, behaviour and outcomes in rural Bangladesh: a controlled before-and-after study Effect of a peer support service on breast-feeding continuation in the UK: a randomised controlled trial. Breastfeeding duration, costs, and benefits of a support program for low-income breastfeeding women. Evaluation of a community-based intervention to increase breastfeeding prevalence. Randomised controlled trial of support from volunteer counsellors for mothers considering breast feeding Impact of counselling on exclusive breast-feeding practices in a poor urban setting in Kenya: a randomized controlled trial. A randomized trial assessing the efficacy of peer counseling on exclusive breastfeeding in a predominantly Latina low-income community. Effectiveness of breastfeeding peer counseling in a low-income, predominantly Latina population: a randomized controlled trial. Effectiveness of home-based peer counselling to promote breastfeeding in the northeast of Brazil: a randomized clinical trial. Effect of Peer Counselors on Breastfeeding Initiation, Exclusivity, and Duration Among Low-income Urban Women Effect of community-based promotion of exclusive breastfeeding on diarrhoeal illness and growth: a cluster randomised controlled trial Efficacy of home-based peer counselling to promote exclusive breastfeeding: a randomised controlled trial The effect of peer support on breast-feeding duration among primiparous women: a randomized controlled trial. Testing a tool for assessing the risk of bias for nonrandomized studies showed moderate reliability and promising validity. Exclusive breastfeeding promotion by peer counsellors in sub-Saharan Africa (PROMISE-EBF): a cluster-randomised trial Effect of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness strategy on childhood mortality and nutrition in a rural area in Bangladesh: a cluster randomised trial The effect of a programme of organised and supervised peer support on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding: a randomised trial. Evaluating a Large-Scale Community-Based Intervention to Improve Pregnancy and Newborn Health Among the Rural Poor in India. Postnatal peer counselling on exclusive breastfeeding of low-birthweight infants: a randomized, controlled trial.
David Osrin and colleagues report findings from a cluster-r and omized trial conducted in Mumbai slums ; the trial aim ed to evaluate whether  facilitator-supported women 's groups  could improve perinatal outcomes BACKGROUND Most mothers breastfeed in Bangladesh , but they rarely practise exclusive breastfeeding . Hospital-based strategies for breastfeeding promotion can not reach them because about 95 % have home deliveries . We postulated that with the intervention of trained peer counsellors , mothers could be enabled to breastfeed exclusively for the recommended duration of 5 months . METHODS 40 adjacent zones in Dhaka were r and omised to intervention or control groups . Women were enrolled during the last trimester of pregnancy between February and December , 1996 . In the intervention group , 15 home-based counselling visits were scheduled , with two visits in the last trimester , three early postpartum ( within 48 h , on day 5 , between days 10 and 14 ) , and fortnightly thereafter until the infant was 5 months old . Peer counsellors were local mothers who received 10 days ' training . FINDINGS 363 women were enrolled in each group .  Peer counselling significantly improved breastfeeding practice s. For the primary outcome , the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 5 months was 202/228 ( 70 % ) for the intervention group and 17/285 ( 6 % ) for the control group ( difference=64 % ; 95 % CI 57%-71 % , p>0.0001 ) . For the secondary outcomes , mothers in the intervention group initiated breastfeeding earlier than control mothers and were less likely to give prelacteal and postlacteal foods . At day 4 , significantly more mothers in the intervention group breastfed exclusively than controls . INTERPRETATION Peer counsellors can effectively increase the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding . We recommend incorporation of peer counsellors in mother and child health programmes in developing countries OBJECTIVE To determine whether peer counselors impacted breastfeeding duration among premature infants in an urban population . DESIGN This was a r and omized controlled clinical trial . SETTING The trial was conducted in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Boston Medical Center , an inner-city teaching hospital with approximately 2000 births per year . PARTICIPANTS One hundred eight mother-infant pairs were enrolled between 2001 and 2004 . Pairs were eligible if the mother intended and was eligible to breastfeed per the 1997 guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and if the infant was 26 to 37 weeks ' gestational age and otherwise healthy . INTERVENTION Subjects were r and omized to either a peer counselor who saw the mother weekly for 6 weeks or to st and ard of care . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The main outcome measure was any breast-milk feeding at 12 weeks postpartum . RESULTS Intervention and control groups were similar on all measured sociodemographic factors . The average  gestational age of infants was 32 weeks ( range , 26.3 - 37 weeks ) with a mean birth weight of 1875 g ( range , 682 - 3005 g ) . At 12 weeks postpartum , women with a peer counselor had odds of providing any amount of breast milk 181 % greater than women without a peer counselor ( odds ratio , 2.81 [ 95 % confidence interval , 1.11 - 7.14 ] ; P = .01 ) . CONCLUSIONS Peer counselors increased breastfeeding duration  among premature infants born in an inner-city hospital and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit .  Peer counseling programs can help to increase breastfeeding in this vulnerable population BACKGROUND Women 's groups and health education by peer counsellors can improve the health of mothers and children . We assessed their effects on mortality and breastfeeding rates  in rural Malawi . METHODS We did a 2 × 2 factorial , cluster-r and omised trial in 185,888 people in Mchinji district . 48 equal-sized clusters were r and omly allocated to four groups with a computer-generated number sequence . 24 facilitators guided groups through a community action cycle to tackle maternal and child health problems . 72 trained volunteer peer counsellors  made home visits at five timepoints during pregnancy and after birth to support breastfeeding and infant care . Primary outcomes for the women 's group intervention were maternal , perinatal , neonatal , and infant mortality rates ( MMR , PMR , NMR , and IMR , respectively ) ; and for the peer counselling were IMR and exclusive breastfeeding ( EBF ) rates . Analysis was by intention to treat . The trial is registered as IS RCT N06477126 . FINDINGS We monitored outcomes of 26,262 births between 2005 and 2009 . In a factorial model adjusted only for clustering and the volunteer peer counselling intervention , in women 's group areas , for years 2 and 3 , we noted non-significant decreases in NMR ( odds ratio 0.93 , 0.64 - 1.35 ) and MMR ( 0.54 , 0.28 - 1.04 ) . After adjustment for parity , socioeconomic quintile , and baseline measures , effects were larger for NMR ( 0.85 , 0.59 - 1.22 ) and MMR ( 0.48 , 0.26 - 0.91 ) . Because of the interaction between the two interventions , a stratified analysis was done . For women 's groups , in adjusted analyses , MMR fell by 74 % ( 0.26 , 0.10 - 0.70 ) , and NMR by 41 % ( 0.59 , 0.40 - 0.86 ) in areas with no peer counsellors , but there was no effect in areas with counsellors ( 1.09 , 0.40 - 2.98 , and 1.38 , 0.75 - 2.54 ) . Factorial analysis for the peer counselling intervention for years 1 - 3 showed a fall in IMR of 18 % ( 0.82 , 0.67 - 1.00 ) and an improvement in EBF rates ( 2.42 , 1.48 - 3.96 ) . The results of the stratified , adjusted analysis showed a 36 % reduction in IMR ( 0.64 , 0.48 - 0.85 ) but no effect on EBF ( 1.18 , 0.63 - 2.25 ) in areas without women 's groups , and in areas with women 's groups there was no effect on IMR ( 1.05 , 0.82 - 1.36 ) and an increase in EBF ( 5.02 , 2.67 - 9.44 ) . The cost of women 's groups was US$ 114 per year of life lost ( YLL ) averted and that of peer counsellors was $ 33 per YLL averted , using stratified data from single intervention comparisons . INTERPRETATION Community mobilisation through women 's groups and volunteer peer counsellor health education are methods to improve maternal and child health outcomes in poor rural population s in Africa . FUNDING Saving Newborn Lives , UK Department for International Development , and Wellcome Trust Complementary feeding practice s are often inadequate in developing countries , result ing in a significant nutritional decline between 6 and 18 mo of age . We assessed the effectiveness of an educational intervention to promote adequate complementary feeding practice s that would be feasible to sustain with existing re sources . The study was a cluster r and omized controlled trial in communities in the state of Haryana in India . We developed the intervention through formative research . Eight communities were pair matched on their baseline characteristics ; one of each pair was r and omly assigned to receive the intervention and the other to no specific feeding intervention . Health and nutrition workers in the intervention communities were trained to counsel on locally developed feeding recommendations .  Newborns were enrolled in all of the communities ( 552 in the intervention and 473 in the control ) and followed up every 3 mo to the age of 18 mo . The main outcome measures were weights and lengths at 6 , 9 , 12 , and 18 mo and complementary feeding practice s at 9 and 18 mo . All analyses were by intent to treat . In the overall analyses , there was a small but significant effect on length gain in the intervention group ( difference in means 0.32 cm , 95 % CI , 0.03 , 0.61 ) . The effect was greater in the subgroup of male infants ( difference in mean length gain 0.51 cm , 95 % CI 0.03 , 0.98 ) . Weight gain was not affected . Energy intakes from complementary foods overall were significantly higher in the intervention group children at 9 mo ( mean + /- SD : 1556 + /- 1109 vs. 1025 + /- 866 kJ ; P < 0.001 ) and 18 mo ( 3807 + /- 1527 vs. 2577 + /- 1058 kJ ; P < 0.001 ) . Improving complementary feeding practice s through existing services is feasible but the effect on physical growth is limited . Factors that limit physical growth in such setting s must be better understood to plan more effective nutrition programs Initiation of breast-feeding within 1 h after birth has been associated with reduced  neonatal mortality in a rural Ghanaian population . In South Asia , however , breast-feeding patterns and low birth weight rates differ and this relationship has not been quantified . Data were collected during a community-based r and omized trial of the impact of topical chlorhexidine antisepsis interventions on  neonatal mortality and morbidity in southern Nepal . In-home visits were conducted on d 1 - 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 21 , and 28 to collect longitudinal information on timing of initiation and pattern of breast-feeding . Multivariable regression modeling was used to estimate the association between death and breast-feeding initiation time . Analysis was based on 22,838 breast-fed newborns surviving to 48 h. Within 1 h of birth , 3.4 % of infants were breast-fed and 56.6 % were breast-fed within 24 h of birth . Partially breast-fed infants ( 72.6 % ) were at higher mortality risk [ relative risk ( RR ) = 1.77 ; 95 % CI = 1.32 - 2.39 ] than those exclusively breast-fed . There was a trend ( P = 0.03 ) toward higher mortality with increasing delay in breast-feeding initiation . Mortality was higher among late ( > or = 24 h ) compared with early ( < 24 h ) initiators ( RR = 1.41 ; 95 % CI = 1.08 - 1.86 ) after adjustment for low birth weight , preterm birth , and other covariates . Improvements in breast-feeding practice s in this setting may reduce neonatal mortality substantially . Approximately 7.7 and 19.1 % of all neonatal deaths may be avoided with universal initiation of breast-feeding within the first day or hour of life , respectively . Community-based breast-feeding promotion programs should remain a priority , with renewed emphasis on early initiation in addition to exclusiveness and duration of breast-feeding Exclusive  breastfeeding ( EBF ) for 6 months is recommended for optimal infant health , but the evidence for longer‐term impacts is weak . We examined whether r and omization to receive EBF counselling ( BFC ) in rural Bangladeshi women had an impact on childhood growth trajectories and body composition To assess the feasibility of a pediatric primary care based intervention to promote healthful behaviors among 0–6 month old infants and their mothers . We enrolled  two intervention practice s ( 60 mother-infant pairs ) and one usual care control practice ( 24 pairs ) in a non-r and omized controlled trial . We completed visits and interviews with 80 ( 95 % ) pairs at birth and 6 months . The intervention included ( 1 ) brief focused negotiation by pediatricians , ( 2 ) motivational counseling by a health educator , and ( 3 ) group parenting workshops . We evaluated the intervention effects on infant feeding , sleep duration , TV viewing , and mothers ’ responsiveness to satiety cues . Maternal behavioral targets included postpartum diet , physical activity , TV and sleep . At 6 months , fewer intervention than control infants had been introduced to solid foods ( 57 % vs. 82 % ; P = 0.04 ) , and intervention infants viewed less TV ( mean 1.2 vs. 1.5 h/d ; P = 0.07 ) . Compared to control infants , intervention infants had larger increases in their nocturnal sleep duration from baseline to follow up ( mean increase 1.9 vs. 1.3 h/d ; P = 0.05 ) ; larger reductions in settling time ( mean reduction −0.70 vs. −0.10 h/d ; P = 0.02 ) ; and larger reductions in hours/day of nighttime wakefulness ( mean reduction −2.9 vs. −1.5 h/d ; P = 0.08 ) . There were no differences in breastfeeding , response to satiety cues , or maternal health behaviors . A program of brief focused negotiation by pediatricians , individual coaching by health educators using motivational interviewing , and group parenting workshops tended to improve infant feeding , sleep and media exposure , but had less impact on mothers ’ own health-related behaviors Background Despite efforts to reduce under-5 mortality rates worldwide , an estimated 6.6 million under-5 children die every year . Community mobilisation through participatory women 's groups has been shown to improve maternal and newborn health in rural setting s , but little is known about the potential of this approach to improve care and health in children after the newborn period . Methods Following on from a cluster-r and omised controlled trial to assess the effect of  participatory women 's groups on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in rural Bangladesh , 162 women 's groups continued to meet between April 2010 and December 2011 to identify , prioritise and address issues that affect the health of children under 5 years . A controlled before- and -after study design and difference-in-difference analysis was used to assess morbidity outcomes and changes in knowledge and practice s related to child feeding , hygiene and care-seeking behaviour . Findings Significant improvements were measured in mothers ’ knowledge of disease prevention and management , danger signs and h and washing at critical times . Significant increases were seen in exclusive breast feeding for at least 6 months ( 15.3 % ( 4.2 % to 26.5 % ) ) , and mean duration of breast feeding ( 37.9 days ( 17.4 to 58.3 ) ) . Maternal reports of under-5 morbidities fell in intervention compared with control areas , including reports of fever ( −10.5 % ( −15.1 % to −6.0 % ) ) and acute respiratory infections ( −12.2 % ( −15.6 % to −8.8 % ) ) . No differences were observed in dietary diversity scores or immunisation uptake . Conclusions Community mobilisation through participatory women 's groups can be successfully adapted to address health knowledge and practice in relation to child 's health , leading to improvements in a number of child health indicators and behaviours OBJECTIVE to assess the effectiveness of a peer support worker ( PSW ) service on breast-feeding continuation . DESIGN cluster r and omised controlled trial ( IS RCT N16126175 ) . SETTING Primary Care Trust , UK serving a multi-ethnic , socio-economically disadvantaged population . PARTICIPANTS 2,724 women giving birth following antenatal care from 66 clinics : 33 clinics ( 1,267 women ) r and omised to the PSW service and 33 clinics ( 1,457 women ) to usual care . 848 women consented to additional follow-up by question naire at 6 months . INTERVENTION PSW service provided in the antenatal and postnatal period . MEASUREMENTS any and exclusive breast feeding at 10 - 14 days obtained from routine computerised records and at 6 weeks and 6 months from a question naire . FINDINGS follow-up : 94 % at 10 - 14 days , 67.5 % at 6 months . There was no difference in any breast feeding at 10 - 14 days between intervention and usual care , odds ratio ( OR ) 1.07 ( 95 % CI 0.87 - 1.31 , p=0.54 ) . Proportion of women reporting any breast feeding in the intervention group at 6 weeks was 62.7 % and 64.5 % in the usual care group OR 0.93 ( 95 % CI 0.64 - 1.35 ) ; and at 6 months was 34.3 % and 38.9 % , respectively , OR 1.06 ( 95 % CI 0.71 - 1.58 ) . KEY CONCLUSIONS universal antenatal peer support and postnatal peer support for women who initiated breast feeding did not improve breast-feeding rates up to 6 months in this UK population . IMPLICATION S FOR PRACTICE with high levels of professional support part of usual maternity care it may not be possible for low intensity peer support to produce additional benefit . More intensive or targeted programmes might be effective , but should have concurrent high quality evaluation BACKGROUND Breastfeeding can ameliorate some of the complex health issues faced by low-income families . Women who breastfeed and their infants have lower health care costs compared with those who formula feed . Increasing the duration of breastfeeding is recognized as a national priority , particularly for low-income women . This community-based r and omized clinical trial involving low-income mothers compared usual care with an intervention comprising hospital and home visits , and telephone support by a community health nurse/peer counselor team for 6 months after delivery . METHODS Forty-one women were recruited after delivery of a full-term singleton infant and r and omly assigned to intervention or usual care groups . RESULTS Women receiving the community health intervention  breastfed longer than the women receiving usual care . The infants in the intervention group had fewer sick visits and reported use of fewer medications than infants in the usual care group . The intervention cost ( $ 301/mother ) was partially offset by cost savings on formula and health care . CONCLUSIONS Community health nurse and peer counselor support can increase breastfeeding duration in low-income women , and has the potential to reduce total costs including the cost of support BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to determine whether peer counselling in the antenatal and post-natal period would increase the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding among low-income women in Glasgow . METHODS The study was design ed as a quasi-experimental evaluation of a community-based breastfeeding promotion programme . The intervention comprised peer counselling of pregnant women , support of breastfeeding mothers and local awareness-raising activities .  The study subjects were all women attending the antenatal booking clinic resident in either the intervention or control area . Data were collected by means of four self-completion question naires , two administered antenatally and two post-natally . The proportions intending to breastfeed or breastfeeding in the intervention and control groups were compared at each assessment and over time . RESULTS Of the 995 women enrolled in the study , data were available for analysis on 919 ( 92 per cent ) to 6 weeks postnatally . At booking , 18 per cent of the intervention group and 21 per cent of the control group stated an intention to breastfeed . At delivery , the proportions initiating breastfeeding were 23 per cent of the intervention subjects and 20 per cent of the controls , and by 6 weeks post-natally , the proportion providing any breast milk had declined to 10 per cent of the intervention group and 8 per cent of the control group . Using multivariate analysis to adjust for factors ( such as socio-economic status ) known to influence breastfeeding , the breastfeeding prevalence was significantly higher in the intervention group relative to the controls at delivery [ odds ratio ( OR ) 2.0 ; 95 per cent confidence interval ( CI ) 1.2 - 3.1 , p = 0.006 ] . By 6 weeks post-natally the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant ( OR 1.8 ; 95 per cent CI 1.0 - 3.4 , p=0.07 ) . CONCLUSIONS As the impact of the intervention was not sustained even for the modest duration of 6 weeks postnatally , it would be premature to justify widespread use of peer support programmes to increase the prevalence of breastfeeding in socially disadvantaged communities Abstract Objective To investigate whether offering volunteer support from counsellors in breast feeding would result in more women breast feeding .  Design R and omised controlled trial . Setting 32 general practice s in London and south Essex . Participants 720 women considering breast feeding . Main outcome measures Primary outcome was prevalence of any breast feeding at six weeks . Secondary outcomes were the proportion of women giving any breast feeds , or bottle feeds at four months , duration of any breast feeding , time to introduction of bottle feeds , and satisfaction with breast feeding . Results Offering support in breast feeding did not significantly increase the prevalence of any breast feeding to six weeks ( 65 % ( 218/336 ) in the intervention group and 63 % ( 213/336 ) in the control group ; relative risk 1.02 , 95 % confidence interval 0.84 to 1.24 ) . Survival analysis up to four months confirmed that neither duration of breast feeding nor time to introduction of formula feeds differed significantly between control and intervention groups . Not all women in the intervention group contacted counsellors postnatally , but 73 % ( 123/179 ) of those who did rated them as very helpful . More women in the intervention group than in the control group said that their most helpful advice came from counsellors rather than from other sources . Conclusions Women valued the support of a counsellor in breast feeding , but the intervention did not significantly increase breastfeeding rates , perhaps because some women did not ask for help OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of facility-based semi-intensive and home-based intensive counselling in improving exclusive breast-feeding ( EBF )  in a low-re source urban setting in Kenya . DESIGN A cluster r and omized controlled trial in which nine villages were assigned on a 1:1:1 ratio , by computer , to two intervention groups and a control group . The home-based intensive counselling group ( HBICG ) received seven counselling sessions at home by trained peers , one prenatally and six postnatally . The facility-based semi-intensive counselling group ( FBSICG ) received only one counselling session prenatally . The control group ( CG ) received no counselling from the research team . Information on infant feeding practice s was collected monthly for 6 months after delivery . The data -gathering team was blinded to the intervention allocation . The outcome was EBF prevalence at 6 months . SETTING Kibera slum , Nairobi . SUBJECTS A total of 360 HIV-negative women , 34 - 36 weeks pregnant , were selected from an antenatal clinic in Kibera ; 120 per study group . RESULTS Of the 360 women enrolled , 265 completed the study and were included in the analysis ( CG n 89 ; FBSICG n 87 ; HBICG n 89 ) . Analysis was by intention to treat . The prevalence of EBF at 6 months was 23.6 % in HBICG , 9.2 % in FBSICG and 5.6 % in CG . HBICG mothers had four times increased likelihood to practise EBF compared with those in the CG ( adjusted relative risk = 4.01 ; 95 % CI 2.30 , 7.01 ; P=0.001 ) . There was no significant difference between EBF rates in FBSICG and CG . CONCLUSIONS EBF can be promoted in low socio-economic conditions using home-based intensive counselling . One session of facility-based counselling is not sufficient to sustain EBF OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of peer counseling to promote exclusive breastfeeding ( EBF ) among low-income inner-city women in Hartford , Conn. DESIGN Participants recruited prenatally were r and omly assigned to either receive support for EBF from a peer counselor plus conventional breastfeeding support ( peer counseling group [ PC ] ) or only conventional breastfeeding support ( control group [ CG ] ) and followed through 3 months post partum . SETTING Low-income predominantly Latina community . PARTICIPANTS Expectant mothers , less than 32 weeks gestation and considering breastfeeding ( N = 162 ) . Intervention Exclusive breastfeeding peer counseling support offering 3 prenatal home visits , daily perinatal visits , 9 postpartum home visits , and telephone counseling as needed . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Exclusive breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge , 1 , 2 , and 3 months post partum ( n = 135 ) . RESULTS At hospital discharge , 24 % in the CG compared with 9 % in the PC had not initiated breastfeeding , with 56 % and 41 % , respectively , nonexclusively breastfeeding . At 3 months , 97 % in the CG and 73 % in the PC had not exclusively breastfed ( relative risk [ RR ] = 1.33 ; 95 % CI , 1.14 - 1.56 ) during the previous 24 hours . The likelihood of nonexclusive breastfeeding throughout the first 3 months was significantly higher for the CG than the PC ( 99 % vs 79 % ; RR = 1.24 ; 95 % CI , 1.09 - 1.41 ) . Mothers in the CG were less likely than their PC counterparts to remain amenorrheic at 3 months ( 33 % vs 52 % ; RR = 0.64 ; 95 % CI , 0.43 - 0.95 ) . The likelihood of having 1 or more diarrheal episode in infants was cut in half in the PC ( 18 % vs 38 % ; RR = 2.15 ; 95 % CI , 1.16 - 3.97 ) . CONCLUSION Well-structured , intensive breastfeeding support provided by hospital and community-based peer counselors is effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding rates among low-income , inner-city women in the United States BACKGROUND Breastfeeding peer counseling has improved breastfeeding rates in developing countries ; however , its impact in this country has not been adequately evaluated . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of an existing , breastfeeding peer counseling program within the United States . DESIGN R and omized , prospect i ve , controlled trial in which participants were recruited prenatally and r and omly assigned to receive either routine breastfeeding education or routine breastfeeding education plus peer counseling . SETTING An urban hospital serving a large population of low-income Latinas . PARTICIPANTS Pregnant women ( < or = 26 weeks ' gestation ) were recruited from the hospital 's prenatal clinic . Inclusion criteria specified that participants be low income , be considering breastfeeding , have delivered a healthy , full-term singleton , and have access to a telephone . Intervention Breastfeeding peer counseling services included 1 prenatal home visit , daily perinatal visits , 3 postpartum home visits , and telephone contact as needed . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Breastfeeding rates at birth and 1 , 3 , and 6 months postpartum . RESULTS The proportion not initiating breastfeeding was significantly lower in the intervention group than among controls ( 8/90 [ 9 % ] vs 17/75 [ 23 % ] ; relative risk , 0.39 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.18 - 0.86 ) . The probability of stopping breastfeeding also tended to be lower in the intervention group at both 1 month ( 36 % vs 49 % ; relative risk , 0.72 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.50 - 1.05 ) and 3 months ( 56 % vs 71 % ; relative risk , 0.78 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.61 - 1.00 ) . CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that , in the United States , peer counselors can significantly improve breastfeeding initiation rates and have an impact on breastfeeding rates at 1 and 3 months post partum AIMS To evaluate the effectiveness of home-based peer counselling to increase breastfeeding rates for unfavourably low birthweight babies . METHODS R and omized clinical trial carried out in maternity hospitals and households in Fortaleza , one of the regions in Brazil with very low income ; 1003 mothers and their newborns were selected in eight maternity hospitals . Newborns needed were healthy and weighed less than 3000 g. INTERVENTION Breastfeeding counselling , conducted by lay counsellors from the community , during home visits carried out on days 5 , 15 , 30 , 60 , 90 and 120 after birth . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Feeding methods in the fourth month of life . RESULTS The intervention increased exclusive breastfeeding ( 24.7 % vs 19.4 % ; p=0.044 ) , delayed the introduction of formula and increased the time infants substituted breastfeeding to bottle milk ( bottle milk 33.4 % in the control group and 20.1 % in the intervention group ; p=0.00002 ) . When comparing the frequency of artificial breastfeeding  versus all other forms of breastfeeding ( exclusive+predominant+partial ) , the intervention increased breastfeeding rates in 39 % ( RR=0.61 ; CI 95 % : 0.50 - 0.75 ) ; 15 % of children were free from artificial feeding ( absolute risk reduction ) . The number of families to be visited to avoid one child receiving artificial feeding ( NNT ) was 7 ( CI 95 % : 5 - 13 ) . CONCLUSIONS Breastfeeding counselling , promoted by lay counsellors , can impact favourably on exclusive breastfeeding rates and contribute to delaying the utilization of milk formula and weaning . The intervention has great application potential because most cities in the northeast of Brazil count on community health workers that could do the counselling This study examined the effect of support from trained peer counselors on breastfeeding initiation , duration , and exclusivity among low-income urban women .  Training of counselors , under the supervision of a registered nurse certified in lactation , adapted education techniques from Paulo Freire to provide information about lactation management and other health care issues . The study compared infant feeding practice s of women who planned to breastfeed and received support from counselors ( counselor group , N=59 ) to women who requested counselors but , owing to inadequate numbers of trained counselors , did not have a counselor ( No-counselor group , N=43 ) . Women in the counselor group had significantly greater ( p<.05 ) breastfeeding initiation ( 93 percent vs. 70 percent ) , exclusivity ( 77 percent vs. 40 percent ) , and duration ( mean of 15 weeks vs. mean of 8 weeks ) than women in the no-counselor group . The findings suggest that peer counselors , well-trained , and with on-going supervision , can have a positive effect on breastfeeding practice s among low-income urban women who intend to breastfeed BACKGROUND Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until age 6 months . We assessed the feasibility , effectiveness , and safety of an educational intervention to promote exclusive breastfeeding for this length of time in India . METHODS We developed the intervention through formative research , pair-matched eight communities on their baseline characteristics , and r and omised one of each pair to receive the intervention and the other to no specific intervention . We trained health and nutrition workers in the intervention communities to counsel mothers for exclusive breastfeeding at multiple opportunities . We enrolled 1115 infants born in the 9 months after training-552 in the intervention and 473 in the control communities . Feeding at age 3 months , and anthropometry and of diarrhoea prevalence at age 3 months and 6 months were assessed . All analyses were by intention to treat . FINDINGS We assessed 483 and 412 individuals at 3 months in the intervention and control groups , respectively , and 468 and 412 at 6 months . At 3 months , exclusive breastfeeding rates were 79 % ( 381 ) in the intervention and 48 % ( 197 ) in the control communities ( odds ratio 4.02 , 95 % CI 3.01 - 5.38 , p<0.0001 ) . The 7-day diarrhoea prevalence was lower in the intervention than in the control communities at 3 months ( 0.64 , 0.44 - 0.95 , p=0.028 ) and 6 months ( 0.85 , 0.72 - 0.99 , p=0.04 ) . The mean weights and lengths , and the proportion with weight-for-height or height-for-age Z scores of 2 or less , at age 3 months and 6 months did not differ much between groups . Intervention effect on exclusive breastfeeding , diarrhoeal morbidity , and anthropometry at age 6 months in the low-birthweight subgroup was similar to that for all births . INTERPRETATION Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding until age 6 months in a developing country through existing primary health-care services is feasible , reduces the risk of diarrhoea , and does not lead to growth faltering BACKGROUND Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended worldwide but not commonly practised . We undertook a r and omised controlled study of the efficacy of home-based peer counselling to increase the proportion of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers and infants residing in periurban Mexico City . METHODS Two intervention groups with different counselling frequencies , six visits ( 44 ) and three visits ( 52 ) , were compared with a control group ( 34 ) that had no intervention .  From March , 1995 , to September , 1996 , 170 pregnant women were identified by census and invited to participate in the study . Home visits were made during pregnancy and early post partum by peer counsellors recruited from the same community and trained by La Leche League . Data were collected by independent interview . Exclusive breastfeeding was defined by WHO criteria . FINDINGS 130 women participated in the study . Only 12 women refused participation . Study groups did not differ in baseline factors . At 3 months post partum , exclusive breastfeeding was practised by 67 % of six-visit , 50 % of three-visit , and 12 % of control mothers ( intervention groups vs controls , p<0.001 ; six-visit vs three-visit , p=0.02 ) . Duration of breastfeeding was significantly ( p=0.02 ) longer in intervention groups than in controls , and fewer intervention than control infants had an episode of diarrhoea ( 12 % vs 26 % , p=0.03 ) . INTERPRETATION This is the first reported community-based r and omised trial of breastfeeding promotion . Early and repeated contact with peer counsellors was associated with a significant increase in breastfeeding exclusivity and duration . The two-fold decrease in diarrhoea demonstrates the importance of breastfeeding promotion to infant health BACKGROUND Most mothers stop breast-feeding before the recommended 6 months post partum . A systematic review showed that breast-feeding support programs by health care professionals did not substantially improve breast-feeding outcomes beyond 2 months post partum . We conducted a r and omized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of peer ( mother-to-mother ) support on breast-feeding duration among first-time breast-feeding mothers . METHODS We recruited 256 breast-feeding mothers from 2 semi-urban community hospitals near Toronto and r and omly assigned them to a control group ( conventional care ) or a peer support group ( conventional care plus telephone-based support , initiated within 48 hours after hospital discharge , from a woman experienced with breast-feeding who attended a 2.5-hour orientation session ) . Follow-up of breast-feeding duration , maternal satisfaction with infant feeding method and perceptions of peer support received was conducted at 4 , 8 and 12 weeks post partum . RESULTS Significantly more mothers in the peer support group than in the control group continued to breast-feed at 3 months post partum ( 81.1 % v. 66.9 % , p = 0.01 ) and did so exclusively ( 56.8 % v. 40.3 % , p = 0.01 ) . Breast-feeding rates at 4 , 8 and 12 weeks post partum were 92.4 % , 84.8 % and 81.1 % respectively among the mothers in the peer support group , as compared with 83.9 % , 75.0 % and 66.9 % among those in the control group ( p < or = 0.05 for all time periods ) . The corresponding relative risks were 1.10 ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] 1.01 - 2.72 ) at 4 weeks , 1.13 ( 95 % CI 1.00 - 1.28 ) at 8 weeks and 1.21 ( 95 % CI 1.04 - 1.41 ) at 12 weeks post partum . In addition , when asked for an overall rating of their feeding experience , significantly fewer mothers in the peer support group than in the control group were dissatisfied ( 1.5 % v. 10.5 % ) ( p = 0.02 ) . Of the 130 mothers who evaluated the peer support intervention , 81.6 % were satisfied with their peer volunteer experience and 100 % felt that all new breast-feeding mothers should be offered this peer support intervention . INTERPRETATION The telephone-based peer support intervention was effective in maintaining breast-feeding to 3 months post partum and improving satisfaction with the infant feeding experience . The high satisfaction with and acceptance of the intervention indicates that breast-feeding peer support programs , in conjunction with professional health services , are effective OBJECTIVES To develop and vali date a new risk-of-bias tool for nonr and omized studies ( NRSs ) . STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We developed the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonr and omized Studies ( RoBANS ) . A validation process with 39 NRSs examined the reliability ( interrater agreement ) , validity ( the degree of correlation between the overall assessment s of RoBANS and Method ological Index for Nonr and omized Studies [ MINORS ] , obtained by plotting the overall risk of bias relative to effect size and funding source ) , face validity with eight experts , and completion time for the RoBANS approach . RESULTS RoBANS contains six domains : the selection of participants , confounding variables , the measurement of exposure , the blinding of the outcome assessment s , incomplete outcome data , and selective outcome reporting . The interrater agreement of the RoBANS tool except the measurement of exposure and selective outcome reporting domains ranged from fair to substantial . There was a moderate correlation between the overall risks of bias determined using RoBANS and MINORS . The observed differences in effect sizes and funding sources among the assessed studies were not correlated with the overall risk of bias in these studies . The mean time required to complete RoBANS was approximately 10 min . The external experts who were interviewed evaluated RoBANS as a " fair " assessment tool . CONCLUSIONS RoBANS shows moderate reliability , promising feasibility , and validity . The further refinement of this tool and larger validation studies are required BACKGROUND Exclusive breastfeeding ( EBF ) is reported to be a life-saving intervention in low-income setting s. The effect of breastfeeding counselling by peer counsellors was assessed in Africa . METHODS 24 communities in Burkina Faso , 24 in Ug and a , and 34 in South Africa were assigned in a 1:1 ratio , by use of a computer-generated r and omisation sequence , to the control or intervention clusters . In the intervention group , we scheduled one antenatal breastfeeding peer counselling visit and four post-delivery visits by trained peers . The data gathering team were masked to the intervention allocation . The primary outcomes were prevalance of EBF and diarrhoea reported by mothers for infants aged 12 weeks and 24 weeks .  Country-specific prevalence ratios were adjusted for cluster effects and sites . Analysis was by intention to treat . This study is registered with Clinical Trials.gov , number NCT00397150 . FINDINGS 2579 mother-infant pairs were assigned to the intervention or control clusters in Burkina Faso ( n=392 and n=402 , respectively ) , Ug and a ( n=396 and n=369 , respectively ) , and South Africa ( n=535 and 485 , respectively ) .  The EBF prevalences based on 24-h recall at 12 weeks in the intervention and control clusters were 310 ( 79 % ) of 392 and 139 ( 35 % ) of 402 , respectively , in Burkina Faso ( prevalence ratio 2·29 , 95 % CI 1·33 - 3·92 ) ; 323 ( 82 % ) of 396 and 161 ( 44 % ) of 369 , respectively , in Ug and a ( 1·89 , 1·70 - 2·11 ) ; and 56 ( 10 % ) of 535 and 30 ( 6 % ) of 485 , respectively , in South Africa ( 1·72 , 1·12 - 2·63 ) . The EBF prevalences based on 7-day recall in the intervention and control clusters were 300 ( 77 % ) and 94 ( 23 % ) , respectively , in Burkina Faso ( 3·27 , 2·13 - 5·03 ) ; 305 ( 77 % ) and 125 ( 34 % ) , respectively , in Ug and a ( 2·30 , 2·00 - 2·65 ) ; and 41 ( 8 % ) and 19 ( 4 % ) , respectively , in South Africa ( 1·98 , 1·30 - 3·02 ) . At 24 weeks , the prevalences based on 24-h recall were 286 ( 73 % ) in the intervention cluster and 88 ( 22 % ) in the control cluster in Burkina Faso ( 3·33 , 1·74 - 6·38 ) ; 232 ( 59 % ) and 57 ( 15 % ) , respectively , in Ug and a ( 3·83 , 2·97 - 4·95 ) ; and 12 ( 2 % ) and two ( < 1 % ) , respectively , in South Africa ( 5·70 , 1·33 - 24·26 ) . The prevalences based on 7-day recall were 279 ( 71 % ) in the intervention cluster and 38 ( 9 % ) in the control cluster in Burkina Faso ( 7·53 , 4·42 - 12·82 ) ; 203 ( 51 % ) and 41 ( 11 % ) , respectively , in Ug and a ( 4·66 , 3·35 - 6·49 ) ; and ten ( 2 % ) and one ( < 1 % ) , respectively , in South Africa ( 9·83 , 1·40 - 69·14 ) . Diarrhoea prevalence at age 12 weeks in the intervention and control clusters was 20 ( 5 % ) and 36 ( 9 % ) , respectively , in Burkina Faso ( 0·57 , 0·27 - 1·22 ) ; 39 ( 10 % ) and 32 ( 9 % ) , respectively , in Ug and a ( 1·13 , 0·81 - 1·59 ) ; and 45 ( 8 % ) and 33 ( 7 % ) , respectively , in South Africa ( 1·16 , 0·78 - 1·75 ) . The prevalence at age 24 weeks in the intervention and control clusters was 26 ( 7 % ) and 32 ( 8 % ) , respectively , in Burkina Faso ( 0·83 , 0·45 - 1·54 ) ; 52 ( 13 % ) and 59 ( 16 % ) , respectively , in Ug and a ( 0·82 , 0·58 - 1·15 ) ; and 54 ( 10 % ) and 33 ( 7 % ) , respectively , in South Africa ( 1·31 , 0·89 - 1·93 ) . INTERPRETATION Low-intensity individual breastfeeding peer counselling is achievable and , although it does not affect the diarrhoea prevalence , can be used to effectively increase EBF prevalence in many sub-Saharan African setting s. FUNDING European Union Sixth Framework International Cooperation-Developing Countries , Research Council of Norway , Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency , Norwegian Programme for Development , Research and Education , South African National Research Foundation , and Rockefeller Brothers Foundation BACKGROUND WHO and UNICEF launched the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness ( IMCI ) strategy in the mid-1990s to reduce deaths from diarrhoea , pneumonia , malaria , measles , and malnutrition in children younger than 5 years . We assessed the effect of IMCI on health and nutrition of children younger than 5 years in Bangladesh . METHODS In this cluster r and omised trial , 20 first-level government health facilities in the Matlab subdistrict of Bangladesh and their catchment areas ( total population about 350 000 ) were paired and r and omly assigned to either IMCI ( intervention ; ten clusters ) or usual services ( comparison ; ten clusters ) . All three components of IMCI-health-worker training , health-systems improvements , and family and community activities-were implemented beginning in February , 2002 . Assessment included household and health facility surveys tracking intermediate outputs and outcomes , and nutrition and mortality changes in intervention and comparison areas . Primary endpoint was mortality in children aged between 7 days and 59 months .  Analysis was by intention to treat . This study is registered , number IS RCT N52793850 . FINDINGS The yearly rate of mortality reduction in children younger than 5 years ( excluding deaths in first week of life ) was similar in IMCI and comparison areas ( 8.6%vs 7.8 % ) . In the last 2 years of the study , the mortality rate was 13.4 % lower in IMCI than in comparison areas ( 95 % CI -14.2 to 34.3 ) , corresponding to 4.2 fewer deaths per 1000 livebirths ( 95 % CI -4.1 to 12.4 ; p=0.30 ) . Implementation of IMCI led to improved health-worker skills , health-system support , and family and community practice s , translating into increased care-seeking for illnesses . In IMCI areas , more children younger than 6 months were exclusively breastfed ( 76%vs 65 % , difference of differences 10.1 % , 95 % CI 2.65 - 17.62 ) , and prevalence of stunting in children aged 24 - 59 months decreased more rapidly ( difference of differences -7.33 , 95 % CI -13.83 to -0.83 ) than in comparison areas . INTERPRETATION IMCI was associated with positive changes in all input , output , and outcome indicators , including increased exclusive breastfeeding and decreased stunting . However , IMCI implementation had no effect on mortality within the timeframe of the assessment . FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , WHO 's Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development , and US Agency for International Development BACKGROUND Peer support may improve  breastfeeding rates  but the evidence is inconclusive . Previous studies and review s recommend trials in different healthcare setting s. AIM To test if a specified programme of peer support affects the initiation and /or the duration of breastfeeding . DESIGN OF STUDY A two-group r and omised controlled trial of peer support for breastfeeding with evaluation of breastfeeding initiation and duration on an intention-to-treat basis . SETTING General practice in Ayrshire , Scotl and . METHOD Following informed consent , 225 women at 28 weeks gestation were allocated to control or peer support group by post-recruitment concealed allocation . All peer support and control group mothers received normal professional breastfeeding support . Additionally , those in the  peer support group still breastfeeding on return home from hospital had peer support until 16 weeks . RESULTS Thirty-five of the 112 ( 31 % ) women in the peer support group were breastfeeding at 6 weeks compared to 33/113 ( 29 % ) in the control group , a difference of 2 % ( 95 % confidence interval = -10 % to 14 % ) . The median breastfeeding duration for all women in the peer support group was 2 days compared to 1 day for the control group and the Kaplan-Meier survival plot shows the peer support group overall breastfeeding slightly longer than the control group , with no statistically significant difference by logrank test ( P = 0.5 ) . The median breastfeeding duration among primagravidae in the peer support group was 7 days , compared to 3 days for the control group . Among women who started to breastfeed the medians were 72 days in the peer support group and 56 days in the control group . These differences were not statistically significant . CONCLUSIONS Peer support did not increase breastfeeding in this population by a statistically significant amount Objectives . We evaluated the effectiveness of the Sure Start project , which was implemented in 7 districts of Uttar Pradesh , India , to improve maternal and newborn health . Methods . Interventions were implemented at 2 r and omly assigned levels of intensity . Forty percent of the areas received a more intense intervention , including community-level meetings with expectant mothers . A baseline survey consisted of 12 000 women who completed pregnancy in 2007 ; a follow-up survey was conducted for women in 2010 in the same villages . Our quantitative analyses provide an account of the project 's impact . Results . We observed significant health improvements in both intervention areas over time ; in the more intensive intervention areas , we found greater improvements in care-seeking and healthy behaviors . The more intensive intervention areas did not experience a significantly greater decline in neonatal mortality . Conclusions . This study demonstrates that community-based efforts , especially mothers ' group meetings design ed to increase care-seeking and healthy behaviors , are effective and can be implemented at large scale AIM Exclusive breastfeeding increases survival and optimizes growth of low-birthweight ( LBW ) infants . If supported , mothers can overcome the unique difficulties associated with breastfeeding from birth to 6 mo . We tested the efficacy of postnatal peer counselling among first-time mothers that aim ed to increase exclusive breastfeeding of term LBW infants . METHODS In a Manila hospital , 204 mothers were r and omized into three groups .  Two intervention groups receiving home-based counselling visits , one by counsellors trained in breastfeeding counselling ( n=68 ) , the other by counsellors trained in general childcare ( n=67 ) , were compared with a control group of mothers ( n=69 ) who did not receive counselling . RESULTS Eighty-eight per cent of the participating pairs completed the trial . At 6 mo , 44 % of the breastfeeding counselled mothers , 7 % childcare-counselled mothers and none of the mothers in the control group were exclusively breastfeeding . More mothers in the breastfeeding counselled group than in the other groups were still breastfeeding at 6 mo . Twenty-four infants who were exclusively breastfed for 6 mo did not have any diarrhoea . All groups had improved mean weight-for-age Z-scores at 6 mo . CONCLUSION This study has provided fundamental evidence of successful intervention to achieve 6 mo of exclusive breastfeeding among term LBW infants . By improving health outcomes , enhanced breastfeeding offers a distinct possibility of disrupting the intergenerational cycle of undernourished women giving birth to LBW infants
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