Effect of a Self-Efficacy-Based Educational Intervention on Breastfeending in Primigravid Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial (PROMILACT)

May 12, 2026 updated by: Guadalupe Aguilar Hernández, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social

Effect of a Self-Efficacy-Based Educational Intervention on Exclusive Breastfeeding in Primigravid Women Attending a Primary Care Center: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a self-efficacy-based educational intervention on exclusive breastfeeding among primigravid women attending a primary care center in Mexico. Participants in the intervention group will receive four weekly educational sessions focused on breastfeeding knowledge, self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and emotional support during the third trimester of pregnancy. The control group will receive standard prenatal care. Breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding rates will be evaluated during postpartum follow-up at 1 and 3 months after delivery.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Exclusive breastfeeding is recognized as one of the most effective interventions for improving maternal and infant health outcomes. However, breastfeeding rates remain below international recommendations in many settings, particularly among first-time mothers who may experience uncertainty, lack of confidence, and insufficient support during the prenatal and postpartum periods.

Self-efficacy theory suggests that maternal confidence plays a critical role in breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. Educational interventions based on self-efficacy principles may improve breastfeeding behaviors and increase exclusive breastfeeding duration.

This study is a randomized controlled trial conducted in a primary care setting of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. The study will include primigravid women in the third trimester of pregnancy receiving prenatal care at Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 9.

Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive a structured educational intervention consisting of four weekly sessions lasting approximately 90 minutes each. The sessions will address breastfeeding physiology, breastfeeding techniques, common breastfeeding difficulties, emotional support, and strategies to improve maternal self-efficacy. The control group will continue receiving standard prenatal care routinely provided by the institution.

The primary outcomes will include breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding rates during postpartum follow-up. Secondary outcomes may include breastfeeding knowledge and breastfeeding continuation at different postpartum time points.

Breastfeeding self-efficacy will be evaluated using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF). Follow-up evaluations will be performed at 1 and 3 months postpartum.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

160

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Mexico
    • Guerrero
      • Acapulco de Juárez, Guerrero, Mexico, 39300
        • Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 9
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Guadalupe Aguilar Hernández, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women aged 18 years or older
  • Primigravidae in the third trimester of pregnancy
  • Receiving prenatal care at UMF No. 9, IMSS
  • Ability to attend the educational sessions
  • Willingness to participate and sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • High-risk pregnancy
  • Medical conditions contraindicating breastfeeding
  • Cognitive impairment or communication difficulties preventing participation
  • Previous participation in breastfeeding educational programs
  • Failure to complete follow-up evaluations

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Educational Intervention Group
Participants will receive a breastfeeding educational intervention based on self-efficacy theory during the third trimester of pregnancy. The intervention includes four weekly sessions focused on breastfeeding knowledge, techniques, confidence building, and problem-solving strategies.
Behavioral: Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Educational Program
Participants will receive four weekly educational sessions during the third trimester of pregnancy based on breastfeeding self-efficacy theory. Sessions will include breastfeeding education, practical techniques, confidence building, problem-solving strategies, and support to improve exclusive breastfeeding practices postpartum.
No Intervention: Control Group
Participants will receive standard prenatal care routinely provided at the family medicine unit without the additional breastfeeding educational intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate at 3 Months Postpartum
Time Frame: 3 months postpartum
Proportion of mothers who maintain exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum after receiving an educational intervention based on breastfeeding self-efficacy.
3 months postpartum

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social

Collaborators

Tropical Disease Research Centre

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Guadalupe Aguilar Hernández, MD, INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL SEGURO SOCIAL, UNIDAD DE MEDICINA FAMILIAR NO. 9
  • Study Director: Sergio Paredes Solis, MD, Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Autonoma de Guerrero

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 12, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IMSS-UMF-BSES-2026
  • R-2026-1101-006 (Registry Identifier: SIRELCIS)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be publicly available due to institutional privacy and confidentiality policies.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Pregnancy

Clinical Trials on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Educational Program

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Israel

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe