Exclusive breastfeeding under six months (EBF)
Indicator Name
Indicator ID in PRIME
Definition
This indicator measures the percentage of infants 0–5 months of age who were fed exclusively with breast milk during the previous day.
Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as breastfeeding with no other food or drink, not even water. Breastfeeding by a wet nurse, feeding of expressed breast milk, and feeding of donor human milk all count as being fed breast milk. Prescribed medicines, oral rehydration solution, vitamins and minerals are not counted as fluids or foods. However, herbal fluids and similar traditional medicines are counted as fluids, and infants who consume these are not exclusively breastfed.
Numerator
Infants 0–5 months of age who were fed exclusively with breast milk during the previous day.
Denominator
Infants 0–5 months of age.
The questionnaire of Indicators for Assessing Infant and Young Children Feeding Practices (IYCF WHO/UNICEF 2021) is used to collect the relevant data by conducting individual interviews with mothers of (a representative sample of) children aged 0 - 5 months.
Answers to questions 6 and 7 about liquids and foods, respectively, that the child consumed yesterday in the daytime or at night (6A-6J and 7A-7R) should all be "no" for infants to be included in the numerator, and question 4 (“Was [NAME] breastfed yesterday during the day or at night?”) should be “yes”.
Indicator Prioritisation
Level of Indicator
Indicator Context Type
Theme
Sub Theme
Common Approach
Total Reach Indicator
Context
Frequency of Data Collection
Unit of Measure
Data Format
Direction of Desired Change
Number of Decimal Points
Indicator is Rounding
Nature
Recommended Disaggregations
Kobo Form Questions
Question 4, Questions 6A-6Jswt, Questions 7A-7R
Other Survey Tool
Indicators for Assessing Infant and Young Children Feeding Practices (WHO/UNICEF 2021): https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240018389