# Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers in Mauritania: further analysis from 2019-2021 Mauritania demographic and health survey

## TL;DR

This study identifies factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding in Mauritania, finding that rural residence and not working increase the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding.

## Contribution

The study provides novel insights into factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding in Mauritania using recent demographic survey data.

## Key findings

- The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among infants under 6 months was 43.3%.
- Working mothers were less likely to exclusively breastfeed compared to non-working mothers.
- Mothers in rural areas were more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding than those in urban areas.

## Abstract

Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) confers health benefits for infants, mothers, and society. Despite this, EBF rates are low in Mauritania, and studies on factors influencing EBF are scarce. This study aims to identify factors associated with EBF practices among mothers.

The study applied secondary analysis on a nationally representative sample of 1,090 mother and child pairs from the 2019–2021 Islamic Republic of Mauritania Demographic and Health Cross-sectional Survey. The factors of EBF practices among mothers were identified using a bivariate and binary logistic regression. The result is presented with a 95% confidence interval using odds ratio (OR).

The prevalence of EBF among infants under 6 months was 43.3% [0.41, 0.47]. Children aged 2 months were less likely (OR = 0.41; CI [0.20, 0.82]) to be exclusively breastfed compared to those of 0 months. Working mothers were less likely (OR = 0.63; CI [0.41, 0.97]) to exclusively breastfeed their infants compared to mothers who were not working. Mothers residing in rural areas have an increased likelihood (OR = 2.21; CI [1.46, 3.34]) of EBF compared with urban areas.

The proportion of infants who are exclusively breastfed remains low in Mauritania. The child’s age, wealth status, maternal occupation, region, and place of residence were associated with EBF practices. To improve EBF, creating breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, extending maternity leave, and enhancing maternal health clinics and health extension programmes in various regions are suggested.