Table 2

Characteristics of included studies on EBF

Author/publication year	Study area	Study design	Study population	Sample size/Participated	Factors	EBF
Author/publication year	Study area	Study design	Study population	Sample size/Participated	Factors	Yes	No	Total
A. Gender of newborn versus EBF
Asemahagn 201642	Amhara, Azezo district	Cross-sectional study	Women having children aged from 0 to 6 months	346/332	Male	95	38	133
					Female	167	32	199
					Total	262	70	332
Setegn et al 201243	Oromia, Bale Zone, Goba district	Cross-sectional study	Mothers–infant pairs	668/608	Male	107	43	150
					Female	92	37	129
					Total	199	80	279
Sonko and Worku 201544	SNNPR, Halaba special woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with children <6 months of age	422/420	Male	145	60	205
					Female	151	64	215
					Total	296	124	420
Regassa 201425	SNNPR, Sidama zone	Cross-sectional study	With infants aged between 0 and 6 months old	1100/1094	Male	109	19	128
					Female	89	17	106
					Total	198	36	234
Alemayehu 201426	Tigray, Axum town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers who had children aged 6–12 months	418/418	Male	97	119	216
					Female	77	128	205
					Total	174	247	421
Biks et al 201545	Amhara, Dabat district	Nested case–control study*	All pregnant women in the second/third trimester	1769/1769	Male	271	619	890
					Female	727	1148	1875
					Total	998	1767	2765
Arage and Gedamu 201646	Amhara, Debre Tabor Town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants <6 months of age	470/453	Male	119	40	159
					Female	227	67	294
					Total	346	107	453
Adugna et al 201747	SNNPR, Hawassa city	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with infants aged 0–6 months	541/529	Male	169	88	257
					Female	153	119	272
					Total	322	207	529
Egata et al 201348	Oromia, Kersa district	Cross-sectional study*	Mothers of children <2 years of age	881/860	Male	323	124	447
					Female	294	119	413
					Total	617	243	860
Teka et al 201549	Tigray, Enderta Woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers having children aged <24 months	541/530	Male	158	60	218
					Female	214	98	312
					Total	372	158	530
Sefene 201350	Amhara, Bahir Dar city	Cross-sectional study	Mothers who had a child aged <6 months	170/159	Male	36	47	83
					Female	42	34	76
					Total	78	81	159
B. Antenatal care versus EBF
Asemahagn 201642	Amhara, Azezo district	Cross-sectional study	Women having children aged from 0 to 6 months	346/332	ANC	243	57	300
					No ANC	19	13	32
					Total	262	70	332
Gultie and Sebsibie 201635	Amhara, Debre Berhan town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers having children aged <23 months old	548/548	ANC	263	253	516
					No ANC	10	21	31
					Total	273	274	547
Hunegnaw et al 201752	Amhara, Gozamin district	Cross-sectional study	Mothers who had infants aged between 6 and 12 months	506/478	ANC	341	109	450
					No ANC	17	11	28
					Total	358	120	478
Lenja et al 201653	SNNPR, Offa district	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants <6 months	403/396	ANC	233	43	276
					No ANC	44	88	132
					Total	277	131	408
Seid et al 201351	Amhara, Bahir Dar city	Cross-sectional study	Mothers who delivered in the last 12 months	819/819	ANC	405	372	777
					No ANC	7	35	42
					Total	412	407	819
Setegn et al 201131	Oromia, Goba district	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with children (<12 months)	668/608	ANC	166	65	231
					No ANC	27	10	37
					Total	193	75	268
Sonko and Worku 201544	SNNPR, Halaba special woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with children <6 months of age	422/420	ANC	258	88	346
					No ANC	38	36	74
					Total	296	124	420
Tadesse et al 201654	SNNPR, Sorro District	Cross-sectional Study	Mothers with infants aged 0–5 months	602/579	ANC	211	121	332
					No ANC	59	123	182
					Total	270	244	514
Tariku et al 201755	Amhara, Dabat District	Cross-sectional study *	Mothers with children aged <59 months	5227/5227	ANC	1979	1353	3332
					No ANC	713	876	1589
					Total	2692	2229	4921
Tewabe 201640	Amhara, Motta town, East Gojjam zone	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with an infant <6 months old	423/405	ANC	185	164	349
					No ANC	18	38	56
					Total	203	202	405
Tamiru et al 201236	Oromia, Jimma Arjo Woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of index children aged 0–6 months	384/382	ANC	87	103	190
					No ANC	96	96	192
					Total	183	199	382
Tamiru and Tamrat 201537	SNNPR, Arba Minch Zuria Woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants aged ≤2 years	384/384	ANC	228	92	320
					No ANC	27	37	64
					Total	255	129	384
Biks et al 201545	Amhara, Dabat district	Nested case–control study*	All pregnant women in the second/third trimester	1769/1769	ANC	180	277	457
					No ANC	363	949	1312
					Total	543	1226	1769
Abera 201256	Harari, Harar town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of children aged <2 years	604/583	ANC	194	163	357
					No ANC	13	29	42
					Total	207	192	399
Arage and Gedamu 201646	Amhara, Debre Tabor Town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants <6 months of age	470/453	ANC	384	39	423
					No ANC	18	12	30
					Total	402	51	453
Adugna et al 201747	SNNPR, Hawassa city	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with infants aged 0–6 months	541/529	ANC	221	111	332
					No ANC	101	96	197
					Total	322	207	529
Egata et al 201348	Oromia, Kersa district	Cross-sectional study*	Mothers of children <2 years of age	881/860	ANC	233	135	368
					No ANC	384	108	492
					Total	617	243	860
Taddele 201457	Amhara, Injibara Town	Comparative cross-sectional study	Employed and unemployed mothers of children aged ≤1 year	524/473	ANC	90	98	188
					No ANC	6	23	29
					Total	96	121	217
Echamo 201258	SNNPR, Arbaminch town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants within the age of 6–12 months	768/768	ANC	332	360	692
					No ANC	25	51	76
					Total	357	411	768
Teka et al 201549	Tigray, Enderta Woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers having children aged <24 months	541/530	ANC	325	134	459
					No ANC	47	24	71
					Total	372	158	530
Chekol et al 201759	Amhara, Gondar town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with children aged 7–12 months	333/333	ANC	131	117	248
					No ANC	29	56	85
					Total	160	173	333
C. Postnatal care versus EBF
Asemahagn 201642	Amhara, Azezo district	Cross-sectional study	Women having children aged from 0 to 6 months	346/332	PNC	137	25	162
					No PNC	125	45	170
					Total	262	70	332
Lenja et al 201653	SNNPR, Offa district	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of infants <6 months	403/396	PNC	188	33	221
					No PNC	121	54	175
					Total	309	87	396
Sonko and Worku 201544	SNNPR, Halaba special woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers with children <6 months of age	422/420	PNC	98	25	123
					No PNC	197	99	296
					Total	295	124	419
Tadesse et al 201654	SNNPR, Sorro District	Cross-sectional Study	Mothers with infants aged 0–5 months	602/579	PNC	204	127	331
					No PNC	66	117	183
					Total	270	244	514
Tewabe et al 201660	Amhara, Motta town, East Gojjam zone	Cross-sectional Study	Mothers with an infant <6 months old	423/405	PNC	116	81	197
					No PNC	87	121	208
					Total	203	202	405
Abera 201256	Harari, Harar town	Cross-sectional study	Mothers of children aged <2 years	604/583	PNC	29	31	60
					No PNC	178	161	339
					Total	207	192	399
Teka et al 201549	Tigray, Enderta woreda	Cross-sectional study	Mothers having children aged <24 months	541/530	PNC	167	86	253
					No PNC	205	72	277
					Total	372	158	530

*Used nationally representative EDHS data.
ANC, antenatal care; EBF, exclusive breast feeding; EDHS, Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey; PNC, postnatal care; SNNPR, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region.