exclusive breast feeding and its determinants in infants born in zanjan hospitals: a longitudinal study

Background: exclusive breastfeeding (ebf), especially during the first six months of life, is one of the primary health indicators in infants. objectives: the present study intended to describe the frequency of ebf in infants and its determinants until six months after birth. methods: this longitudinal study was conducted on 673 mother-newborn pairs visiting obstetrics and gynecology departments of two main hospitals in zanjan. information on the frequency of ebf up to six months, socio-demographic and reproductive information, and attitudes of mothers towards breastfeeding was gathered using questionnaires. data were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression in spss. results: the proportion of neonates who were receiving ebf at discharge was 95.7%. the ebf proportions in the second week, the first, fourth, and sixth months were 95%, 88.1%, 80.7%, and 77.3%, respectively. the multivariate analysis of data indicated that living in urban areas (p = 0.02), lower education of mothers (p = 0.008), having more than three years of birth interval (p = 0.006), no experience of breastfeeding in mothers (p = 0.01), no prior decision for breastfeeding in mothers (p < 0.0001), and use of artificial nipples (p = < 0.0001) were independently associated with non-ebf. conclusions: in this study, despite a high proportion of ebf at discharge, we found that the proportion of ebf reduced during six months. the determinants of non-ebf at six months, including urban and less educated mothers, highlight a need to promote awareness regarding ebf and perform interventions for women at a greater risk for early breastfeeding cessation.