Skip to main content

Table 2 Breastfeeding rates

From: A systematic review and meta-analysis of breastfeeding rates, factors influencing breastfeeding and practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Ref No

Study Author, Year

Emirate

Nationality

Total

N (%)

Prenatal Intention to Breastfeed

n (%)

Initiating Breastfeeding

n (%)

EBF at 3 months

n (%)

ABF at 3 months

n (%)

EBF at 6 months

n (%)

ABF at

6 months

n (%)

EBF at 12 months

n (%)

ABF

at 12 months

n (%)

[20]

Ali

2022

Northern Emirates (Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Al Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah

UAE Nationals & Non-Nationals

475 (100%)

Not reported

222 (47%)

Not reported

Not reported

222 (47%)

440 (93%)

Not reported

Not reported

[21]

Al Ketbi 2018

Abu Dhabi

UAE Nationals & Non-Nationals

354 (100%)

Not reported

193 (55%)

Not reported

Not reported

46 (13%)

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[16]

Al Sabbah et al., 2022

Dubai and Sharjah

Emirati or Arab

858

[492 in Dubai and 366 in Sharjah] (100%)

Not reported

214 (26%)*

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

124 (14%)

Not reported as proportion

Not reported

[28]

Al Shahwan 2020

Sharjah and Ajman

UAE National & Non National

820 (100%)

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[22]

Cheikh Ismail 2020

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah

UAE National & Non- National

276 (100%)

Not reported

Not reported

135 (45%)

(94%)

11 (4%)

185 (67%)

1%

152 (55%)

[23]

Gardner 2015

Abu Dhabi

Emirati National

125 (100%)

116 (93%)

120 (96%)

5 (5%)

88 (70%)

0 (0%)

53 (42%)

0 (0%)

**

26 (21%)

**

[29]

Kaushal 2022

Dubai

UAE National & Non- National

n/a

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[25]

Omar 2022

Dubai

UAE National & Non-National

668 (100%)

Not reported

503 (75%)

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[26]

Radwan 2013

Dubai and Abu Dhabi/ Al Ain

UAE National

593 (100%)

Not reported

583 (98%)

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[27]

Radwan 2016

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain

UAE National

45 (100%)

Not reported

45 (100%)

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

Not reported

[30]

Radwan 2021

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Fujairah

UAE National & Non-National

457 (100%)

Not reported

316 (69%)

201 (50%)

372 (81%)

100 (22%)

201 (44%)

Not reported

Not reported

[15]

Taha 2018

Abu Dhabi

UAE National & Non-National

1822 (100%)

1655 (91%)

1741 (96%)

Not reported

154 (8%)

27 (1%)

Not reported

Not reported

8 (0%)

  1. *EBF = Exclusive breastfeeding, ABF = Any breastfeeding