Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study
May Loong Tan, Siew Cheng Foong, Wai Cheng Foong, Jacqueline J Ho Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, MalaysiaCorrespondence: May Loong Tan, Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, Malaysia, Tel +60 42171948, Fax +60 4...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2022-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Women's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/use-of-galactagogues-in-a-multi-ethnic-community-in-southeast-asia-a-d-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJWH |
| _version_ | 1811208932601888768 |
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| author | Tan ML Foong SC Foong WC Ho JJ |
| author_facet | Tan ML Foong SC Foong WC Ho JJ |
| author_sort | Tan ML |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | May Loong Tan, Siew Cheng Foong, Wai Cheng Foong, Jacqueline J Ho Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, MalaysiaCorrespondence: May Loong Tan, Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, Malaysia, Tel +60 42171948, Fax +60 42284285, Email mltan@rcsiucd.edu.myPurpose: Galactagogues are substances that increase breast-milk production. They can be medication, herbs or food. Use of galactagogues may be different among the major ethnic groups in Malaysia. The primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to determine the prevalence of galactagogues use among breastfeeding mothers in a multi-ethnic community.Patients and Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed between November 2016 and January 2017 to mothers attending the health clinics and private hospital paediatric clinics in Penang, Malaysia, whose infants were below 6 months of age. The questionnaire enquired about use of galactagogues, types of galactagogue used, perceived effectiveness and sources of information. It also asked mothers about what they would do to increase milk supply.Results: We analyzed 322 out of 530 questionnaires distributed where 76% of mothers reported use of galactagogues; most of which were food-based: dates (66%), oats (58%) and soya bean (56%). Each major ethnic group had a different preference for galactagogues: Malays (dates), Chinese (soya bean) and Indians (oats). Only one mother used pharmacological galactagogues alone. Galactagogues were perceived to be effective by 65% of mothers who used them. Multivariate analysis showed that use of galactagogues was not related to ethnicity, education, work, perception of milk supply or use of formula milk. The most common source of information on galactagogues came from family and friends.Conclusion: Use of galactagogues is common in our population, especially food-based ones, and the choice of galactagogues differs by ethnicity. Future studies on efficacy and safety galactagogues should be focused these commonly used ones. There is also a need for qualitative studies to improve our understanding of why they are widely used in this region.Keywords: breastfeeding, lactation, milk-booster, multi-ethnic |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:30:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c89b44a2ca64a8fa0def87210f9b060 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-1411 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:30:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c89b44a2ca64a8fa0def87210f9b0602022-12-22T03:47:57ZengDove Medical PressInternational Journal of Women's Health1179-14112022-09-01Volume 141395140478439Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive StudyTan MLFoong SCFoong WCHo JJMay Loong Tan, Siew Cheng Foong, Wai Cheng Foong, Jacqueline J Ho Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, MalaysiaCorrespondence: May Loong Tan, Department of Pediatrics, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, George Town, Penang, Malaysia, Tel +60 42171948, Fax +60 42284285, Email mltan@rcsiucd.edu.myPurpose: Galactagogues are substances that increase breast-milk production. They can be medication, herbs or food. Use of galactagogues may be different among the major ethnic groups in Malaysia. The primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to determine the prevalence of galactagogues use among breastfeeding mothers in a multi-ethnic community.Patients and Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed between November 2016 and January 2017 to mothers attending the health clinics and private hospital paediatric clinics in Penang, Malaysia, whose infants were below 6 months of age. The questionnaire enquired about use of galactagogues, types of galactagogue used, perceived effectiveness and sources of information. It also asked mothers about what they would do to increase milk supply.Results: We analyzed 322 out of 530 questionnaires distributed where 76% of mothers reported use of galactagogues; most of which were food-based: dates (66%), oats (58%) and soya bean (56%). Each major ethnic group had a different preference for galactagogues: Malays (dates), Chinese (soya bean) and Indians (oats). Only one mother used pharmacological galactagogues alone. Galactagogues were perceived to be effective by 65% of mothers who used them. Multivariate analysis showed that use of galactagogues was not related to ethnicity, education, work, perception of milk supply or use of formula milk. The most common source of information on galactagogues came from family and friends.Conclusion: Use of galactagogues is common in our population, especially food-based ones, and the choice of galactagogues differs by ethnicity. Future studies on efficacy and safety galactagogues should be focused these commonly used ones. There is also a need for qualitative studies to improve our understanding of why they are widely used in this region.Keywords: breastfeeding, lactation, milk-booster, multi-ethnichttps://www.dovepress.com/use-of-galactagogues-in-a-multi-ethnic-community-in-southeast-asia-a-d-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJWHbreastfeedinglactationmilk-boostermulti-ethnic |
| spellingShingle | Tan ML Foong SC Foong WC Ho JJ Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study International Journal of Women's Health breastfeeding lactation milk-booster multi-ethnic |
| title | Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study |
| title_full | Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study |
| title_fullStr | Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study |
| title_short | Use of Galactagogues in a Multi-Ethnic Community in Southeast Asia: A Descriptive Study |
| title_sort | use of galactagogues in a multi ethnic community in southeast asia a descriptive study |
| topic | breastfeeding lactation milk-booster multi-ethnic |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/use-of-galactagogues-in-a-multi-ethnic-community-in-southeast-asia-a-d-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJWH |
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