Table 3 A summary of the results of the economic evaluations from the studies included in the review (n = 4)
First author (year of publication) | Interventions | Net benefit | Net costa | ICER, key conclusions, and uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desmond (2008) [27] | Group education plus breastfeeding counsellor (full, simple, and basic iterations of intervention) versus no support | Incremental increase in months of exclusive breastfeeding: Basic versus no support = 22,306 Simple versus basic = 204,644 Full versus simple = 54,997 | Full: £11,513,022 Basicb: £5,660,543 Simplec: £1,646,915 | £19–£107/additional month of exclusive breastfeeding. Each of the derivatives of the intervention could be cost-effective under differing sets of circumstances. |
Rice (2010) [28] | Enhanced staff contact in neonatal unit versus usual contact | QALYs by birth weight subgroup: 500-999 g = 0.251 1000-1749 g = 0.056 1750-2500 g = 0.009 | 500-999 g: -£1030 1000-1749 g: -£515 1750-2500 g: -£116 | Intervention was dominant in all weight sub-groups. The intervention would no longer be cost-effective if donor milk were allocated exclusively as a supplement to mothers’ milk. Likely to be cost-effective. |
Rubio-Rodríguez (2012) [29] | Enhanced staff contact in neonatal unit versus usual contact | QALYs by birth weight subgroup: 500-999 g = 1.75 1000-1749 g = 0.333 1750-2500 g = 0.156 | 500-999 g: -£23,859 1000-1749 g: -£6282 1750-2500 g: -£3203 | Intervention was dominant in all weight sub-groups. The cost of current breastfeeding promotion (usual care) was not included in the model so costs are conservative. Likely to be cost-effective. |
Chola (2015) [30] | Peer support plus clinic-based breastfeeding promotion versus breastfeeding promotion only | 2 months of exclusive breastfeeding; 0.01 DALYs averted | £116 | £58/month of exclusive breastfeeding; £9617/DALY. Not likely to be cost-effective. |