Background: Breastfeeding in Syria is a common practice supported by social norms,
family traditions, and cultural values. In Hungary, recent statistics show that exclusive
breastfeeding is significantly lower than the recommendation of the World Health Organization.
Understanding the perspectives of educated young ladies is crucial for discovering
the difficulties of breastfeeding practices within Syrian–Hungarian societies. This
study explores the sociocultural factors and their impact on breastfeeding behaviours
among female students in Syria and Hungary. Methods: A comprehensive, multi-section
questionnaire was administered to 317 students from Damascus University and 303 students
from Hungarian universities, designed to assess breastfeeding behaviours evaluated
through The Breastfeeding Behaviour Questionnaire (BBQ). Results: The results in both
societies showed remarkable awareness and understanding among participants regarding
breastfeeding. Traditions and culture affect Syrian society more than Hungarian society;
the two societies have restricted responses toward breastfeeding in public and different
reactions to breastfeeding in front of males or females. Most students disagree with
preferring formula feeding to breastfeeding when it is related to the family or the
husband’s desire only. At the same time, agreement with choosing the bottle when the
mother returns to work instead of exclusively breastfeeding is valued differently
in the two societies. Conclusions: This study elucidates the essential the sociocultural
factors influencing breastfeeding attitudes among Syrian and Hungarian female students,
highlighting the need for culturally suitable strategies to improve breastfeeding
practices in both countries.
