Breastfeeding practices and contributing factors among Afghan women: insights from the MICS Survey

Background: Afghanistan has been experiencing constant political instability and financial issues, which have led to widespread poverty and severe child malnutrition, with high rates of stunting and wasting. Breastfeeding practices, essential for child survival, vary based on region, wealth, and maternal education. This study aims to assess the demographic factors that affect breastfeeding practices in Afghanistan. Methods: This study uses secondary data from Afghanistan from MICS 2022-2023. About 33 thousand children and more than 32 thousand Mothers or caretakers were approached and selected, and 98% was the response rate. Results: Both chi-square analysis and binary logistic regression were performed using SPSS software. The results show 87% of children were breastfed, and the child has ever been breastfed is associated with the gender and mother's education level. Females were 1.09 times more likely to be breastfed than males, and women with secondary education were more likely to be breastfed than the primary level (95% CI: 0.65-0.91, p-value = 0.003). Breastfeeding was also statistically significant in provinces like Parwan, Takhar, Kunduz, Faryab and Baghdis. Conclusion: The government, policymakers, researchers, and professionals should make localized and area-focused initiatives and run campaigns to encourage mothers to breastfeed.