Breastfeeding Rates Decrease by About Half between 12 and 23 Months in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 21 Countries

Introduction: Continued breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of child morbidity and mortality. There is no evidence on the prevalence and determinants of continued breastfeeding conducted using the most recent indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices in 2021. Therefore, the findings of this study could help nutrition policymakers prioritize and implement specific interventions for breastfeeding continuation. Methods: Data from the demographic and health surveys of 21 countries, was used. The study comprised a sample of 44,423 children between the ages of 12 and 23 months. Utilizing multilevel logistic regression, the factors associated with the outcome variable were identified. Statistical significance was attained by variables having a p-value <0.05. Results: The prevalence of continued breastfeeding among children aged 12 to 23 months was 64.59%. Maternal age, educational level, marital status, working status, parity, ANC visits, twin status, age of the child, and preceding birth interval were significantly associated with continued breastfeeding. Conclusion: Nearly two-thirds of children aged 12 to 23 months continued breastfeeding. Therefore, women’s empowerment, improving maternal healthcare services, and giving special attention to unmarried and younger women, primiparous women, women with multiple births, mothers with female children, and mothers from rural areas are recommended. Keywords: continued breastfeeding, children, DHS, sub-Saharan Africa, multilevel analysis