Influence of Healthcare Worker Training on Support for Exclusive Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review

Background: Initiation of breastfeeding is high in Saudi Arabia whereas the continuity of exclusive breastfeeding is low since there is a shortage of trained health professionals. Aim: This systematic review evaluates the influence of training healthcare professionals on breastfeeding outcomes in Saudi Arabia in comparison to WHO/UNICEF standard. Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) systematic review was undertaken. Different databases were searched from 2000 to 2024. Participants in the study were experimental, quasi-experimental studies, cross-sectional studies, and qualitative studies that provided training to health professionals in breastfeeding support. Selection of studies, data extraction, and judgment of the quality of studies were performed by two reviewers using the JBI and Cochrane risk of bias tools. Results: A total of 21 studies were analyzed. Most of these studies reported appreciable gains in the knowledge and practical assistance of health care providers following structured training interventions. Interventions that used a combination of theoretical teaching and practical components were the most effective. In the Saudi context, the effects of training were seen in improved self-efficacy scores and increased counselling skills with some of the programs reporting up to 60% improvement. While most studies have demonstrated improvements in exclusive breastfeeding rates following training, several have highlighted persistent barriers, such as insufficient and inadequate hospital education and training, as well as inadequate institutional support, which may undermine the long-term sustainability of the program. Conclusion: They study demonstrates that ongoing structured training and combined policy action remains needed. Decision makers need to focus on providing training to health professionals in breastfeeding support results in quantifiable improvement in knowledge and practice. Mandatory BFHI-aligned training, institutional support, and policy integration are urgently needed to increase EBF rates in Saudi Arabia.