Interventions to Improve Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Resultant Breastfeeding Rates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis:

Background:Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE) is reflective of a mother’s confidence in breastfeeding and is a modifiable factor that may improve breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding self-efficacy theory purports that women with higher BSE will have better breastfeeding outcomes.Research aim:The aim of this systematic review was to explore the theoretical link between BSE and breastfeeding outcomes by investigating (a) if interventions to improve BSE were successful and (b) if improvements in BSE resulted in improved breastfeeding rates.Methods:The authors performed a systematic search of 10 databases for studies that investigated the effect of interventions for mothers of full-term infants on BSE and breastfeeding rates. They used an inverse-variance, random-effects meta-analysis.Results:Of 1,366 titles and abstracts identified, 58 full-text articles were screened and 11 met the study criteria. Compared with mothers in control groups, mothers in intervention groups had significantly higher BSE, sco...