Article
Details
Citation
Clarke J, Dombrowski SU, Gkini E, Hoddinott P, Ingram J, MacArthur C, Moss N, Ocansey L, Roberts T, Thomson G, Sanders J, Sitch AJ, Stubbs C, Taylor B & Tearne S (2023) Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Assets-based feeding help Before and After birth (ABA-feed) for improving breastfeeding initiation and continuation: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial (Version 3.0). BMJ Open, 13, Art. No.: e075460. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075460
Abstract
Introduction
Breastfeeding has health benefits for infants and mothers, yet the UK has low rates with marked social inequalities. The Assets-based feeding help Before and After birth (ABA) feasibility study demonstrated the acceptability of a proactive, assets-based, woman-centred peer support intervention, inclusive of all feeding types, to mothers, peer supporters and maternity services. The ABA-feed study aims to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the ABA-feed intervention compared to usual care in first-time mothers in a full trial.
Methods and analysis
A multicentre randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation to explore clinical and cost-effectiveness, and embedded process evaluation to explore differences in implementation between sites.
We aim to recruit 2730 primiparous women, regardless of feeding intention. Women will be recruited at 10-15 sites from antenatal clinics and various remote methods including social media and invitations from midwives and health visitors. Women will be randomised at a ratio of 1.43:1 to receive either ABA-feed intervention or usual care. A train the trainer model will be used to train local Infant Feeding Coordinators to train existing peer supporters to become ‘Infant Feeding Helpers’ in the ABA-feed intervention.
Infant feeding outcomes will be collected at 3 days, and 8, 16 and 24 weeks post-birth. The primary outcome will be any breastfeeding at 8 weeks post-birth. Secondary outcomes will include breastfeeding initiation, any and exclusive breastfeeding, formula feeding practices, anxiety, social support and health care utilisation. All analyses will be based on the intention-to-treat principle.
Ethics and dissemination
The study protocol has been approved by the East of Scotland Research Ethics Committee. Trial results will be available through open-access publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant meetings and conferences.
Trial registration number: ISRCTN17395671
Notes
Additional authors:
Rebecca Woolley; Kate Jolly
Journal
BMJ Open: Volume 13
Status | Published |
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Funders | |
Publication date | 15/11/2023 |
Publication date online | 15/11/2023 |
Date accepted by journal | 04/10/2023 |
URL | |
eISSN | 2044-6055 |
People (1)
Chair in Primary Care, NMAHP