Effectiveness of Mobile Phone-Based Support on Exclusive Breastfeeding and Infant Growth in Nigeria: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: This study examined whether mobile phone-based support improve the rates, duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) as well as infant growth patterns in Nigeria. Methods: A 6-month prospective randomized controlled trial with 75 participants assigned to receive 'usual care' or 'mobile phone-based support in addition to usual care' EBF rates and duration as well as anthropometric measurements of infants before and after intervention were compared using proportions and mean differences. Results: Attrition rates of 10.7% and 14.7% were observed in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Treatment groups were identical in all baseline characteristics and participants in the intervention group showed a slower rate of decline in the practice of EBF. The mean difference of 0.6 months (95% confidence interval: -0.22, 1.42) in EBF duration between intervention and control groups was not statistically significant (t = 1.45; p = 0.149). Similarly, the difference in the EBF rates at the 6th month for the intervention (55.2%) and control (46.8%) groups was not statistically significant (chi(2) = 0.623; p = 0.430). Although the intervention group had significantly higher mean weight (p = 0.030) and length (p = 0.044) at the 6th month, the difference in the gain in weight and length of these infants over the period was only significant for the weight (p = 0.044). Although the incidence of adverse clinical nutritional status was more in the control group, these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Mobile phone-based intervention has positive effects on the rate and duration of EBF as well as the growth of young infants. Sustaining this simple and cheap technology will improve infant wellbeing especially in resource-constrained settings.