Table 2. Summary of studies of the association between early breastfeeding initiation and neonatal mortality.
(*Reference group).
| Study | N | Study Design | Exposure Definition | Effect Estimate (95% CI) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neovita (India) | 44,984 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (2–23, ≥24 hrs) | aRR(2–23 hrs): 1.18 (0.93–1.49) | Moderate |
| breastfeeding initiation | aRR(>24 hrs): 1.61 (1.11–2.35) | ||||
| Neovita (Ghana) | 22,955 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (2–23, ≥24 hrs) | aRR(2–23 hrs): 1.41 (1.01–1.98) | Moderate |
| breastfeeding initiation | aRR(>24 hrs): 3.68 (1.82–7.46) | ||||
| Neovita (Tanzania) | 31,999 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (2–23, ≥24 hrs) | aRR(2–23 hrs): 1.61 (1.06–2.44) | Moderate |
| breastfeeding initiation | aRR(>24 hrs): 1.90 (0.47–7.62) | ||||
| Akter 2015 | 3,190 | Cross-sectional | Early (<1 hr) vs. Late* (>1 hr) | aOR: 0.86 (0.41–1.82) | Very Low |
| breastfeeding initiation | |||||
| Shah 2014 | 6,399 | Prospective Cohort. | Early (<1 hr) vs. Late* (>1 hr) | aRR: 0.7 (: 0.6–1.0) | Moderate |
| Preterm infants only. | breastfeeding initiation | ||||
| Sutan 2014 | 500 | Case Control. Low | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (>1 hr) | aOR: 2.03 (: 1.09–3.90) | Very Low |
| birthweight infants only. | breastfeeding initiation | ||||
| Niswade 2011 | 1087 | Prospective Cohort. Tribal infants only. | Early* vs. Late | aOR (tribal): 3.1 (05% CI:0.9–10.1) | Very Low |
| breastfeeding initiation | |||||
| Garcia 2011 | 10,352 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<12 hr)* vs. Late (12–23, ≥24 hrs) | aRR(12–24 hrs): 0.93 (: 0.59–1.46) | Moderate |
| breastfeeding initiation | aRR (>24 hrs): 1.76 (: 1.01–3.07) | ||||
| Edmond 2006 | 10,942 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (2–23 hrs, Day 2, | aOR(Day1): 1.45 (0.90–2.35) | Moderate |
| Day 3, >Day 4) | aOR(Day2): 2.70 (1.70–4.3) | ||||
| breastfeeding initiation | aOR(Day3): 3.01 (1.70–5.38) | ||||
| aOR(>Day4): 4.42 (1.76–11.09) | |||||
| Bamji 2008 | 4,357 | Case Control | Early (Day 1) vs. Late (Day 2, ≥Day 3) | OR(Day2): 1.58 (0.17–14.51) | Very Low |
| breastfeeding initiation | OR(>Day3): 10.14 (3.17–32.42) | ||||
| Mullany 2008 | 22,838 | Prospective Cohort | Early (<1 hr)* vs. Late (2–23 hrs, Day 2, | aOR(Day1): 1.43 (0.52–3.89) | Moderate |
| Day 3, >Day 4) | aOR(Day2): 1.78 (0.64–5.00) | ||||
| breastfeeding initiation | aOR(Day3): 2.43 (0.86–6.90) | ||||
| aOR(>Day4): 2.06 (0.62–6.82) |