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)

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

• Published Version