Background

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) up to six months is sub-optimal globally. Tanzania has surpassed the World Health Assembly (WHA) target of increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding among children below six months to at least 50% by the year 2025 the median age of cessation of EBF is only three months.

Objective

To determine the time to cessation of exclusive breastfeeding and its associated factors among women with children aged 6–24 months in Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of data from a community-based cross-sectional study conducted between April 2016 and April 2017 in Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania. In the parent study, a multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants and interviewed using a questionnaire. Data for 1291 mother-child pairs were analyzed using STATA version 15. Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test estimated and compared the survivor functions across covariate levels. Cox regression proportional hazards models estimated the hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for factors associated with time to cessation of exclusive breastfeeding.

Results

The prevalence of cessation of exclusive breastfeeding before six months was 68.7%, with a median age of cessation of four months (95% CI: 3, 4). In comparison to women living in Siha district, women living in Moshi Municipal (HR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.24, 2.09), Same (HR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.65) and Mwanga (HR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.20, 1.96) districts, had higher hazards of cessation of exclusive breastfeeding before six months. Women who received breastfeeding counselling at antenatal care had a lower hazard to cease EBF (HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.65, 087) compared to those who did not receive breastfeeding counselling.

Conclusion

The median age of cessation of EBF is unsatisfactory but at least higher (four months) than the national level estimate of three months. District specific interventions and breastfeeding counselling at antenatal care are essential for improving time to cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. Promotion of adequate ANC visits remains one of the critical interventions to improve BF practices and other reproductive health outcomes.