An observational study in Breastfeeding, Maternal Behavior and Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, sponsored by Acibadem University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-30.
Sponsored by Acibadem University · Observational
Breast milk is a unique and irreplaceable source of nutrition for infants, offering protection against many common childhood diseases due to its natural sterility, accessibility, and immune-boosting antibodies. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is critical for healthy growth, development, and immune support. Despite global recommendations by WHO and UNICEF, lack of knowledge and inadequate support continue to hinder optimal breastfeeding practices.
One major barrier is the persistence of cultural myths and misconceptions, such as "colostrum should be discarded," or "infants need water after every feeding." These unfounded beliefs may reduce mothers' confidence and lead to early cessation of breastfeeding or premature introduction of complementary foods.
This study aims to examine the relationship between mothers' belief in breastfeeding myths and their motivation to breastfeed. While prior research has explored each factor individually, no known studies have analyzed their interaction.
262 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Feeding; 112 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 191 is close to the median of 177 across 48 observational studies indexed under Breast Feeding.
Browse Breast Feeding studies →Acibadem University is the lead sponsor of 210 studies on the registry; 50 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Mothers aged 18 or older with an infant between 0-6 months, meeting eligibility criteria and providing consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Demographic, Birth, and Breastfeeding Characteristics of Participants
Collected using a 25-question Descriptive Information Form developed by the researchers. Includes maternal demographics, pregnancy and birth history, infant characteristics, breastfeeding status, beliefs, and motivational factors.
Time frame: At baseline (one-time assessment at enrollment)
Belief in Breastfeeding Myths
Measured using the Breastfeeding Myths Scale developed by Yılmaz Sezer et al. (2024). The scale consists of 30 items in a single dimension. Total scores range from 30 to 150, with higher scores indicating a stronger belief in breastfeeding myths. A cut-off score of 119.50 is used to distinguish between low and high levels of myth belief.
Time frame: At baseline (one-time assessment at enrollment)
Breastfeeding Motivation
Breastfeeding motivation was measured using the Breastfeeding Motivation Scale, originally developed by Kestler-Peleg et al. (2015) and adapted into Turkish by Mızrak Şahin et al. (2019). The scale consists of 24 items and assesses five subdimensions: Integrated Regulation, Intrinsic Motivation and Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation - Social Approval, Introjected Regulation - Social Pressure, and External Regulation - Additional Benefits. Each subdimension score is calculated separately based on the mean of relevant items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating higher levels of motivation in the respective subdimension.
Time frame: At baseline (one-time assessment at enrollment)
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data (IPD) will not be publicly shared due to privacy concerns and the sensitive nature of maternal and infant health information. However, anonymized data may be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author after publication of the study results.
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