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Background: Mothers’ nutrition is crucial for good pregnancy outcomes and in improving
children’s nutritional status. Nutritional status of mothers is partly affected by their knowledge
and practice. The present study aims to examine the level of knowledge and practices towards
maternal nutrition among pregnant mothers who attended Antenatal Care (ANC) in obstetrics
and gynaecology department at All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Centre
(ALERT) Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: In-depth analysis of data involving a total of 354 eligible pregnant women, enrolled
during in ANC visit was conducted during the month of February, 2021. Study participants
were selected by employing systematic sampling techniques. Knowledge on components of
nutrition with direct and significant effect on pregnancy, and dietary intake or dietary diversity
practices were assessed by asking each individual pregnant woman to provide a single 24-h
dietary recall.
Results: The overall knowledge level (37%) and level of dietary practices (45%) of pregnant
mothers on nutrition during pregnancy was low. There was significant positive relation
between level of education, monthly income and Husband’s occupation on nutritional
knowledge of pregnant women. On the other hand, education and husband’s occupation were
found to have an association with dietary practices of pregnant women.
Conclusion and Recommendations: The study revealed low levels of knowledge and
nutritional practices during pregnancy. In order to enhance nutritional knowledge and practice
of pregnant women, nutrition education intervention needs to be tailored to meet the need for
pregnant women to improve their knowledge and dietary practices. Therefore, health
professionals should give regular nutrition counselling using cards and role models.
Nutritionists should be assigned at each level in the health system to overcome nutritional knowledge
and practice problems of pregnant women................................. Thesis available at ACIPH Library |
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