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Background: - Under nutrition during pregnancy is one of major public health challenges but
poorly handled that put pregnant women at the increased risk of maternal morbidity,
mortality and poor perinatal outcomes. Despite its known serious effects on health, there is
very little research based evidence on this vital public health problem in Sidama Zone in
general and in Malga district of Southern Ethiopia in particular. Therefore, this study was
aimed to assess the magnitude and associated factors of under nutrition among pregnant
women in Malga district, Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia.
Methods Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 15 to February 30,
2018, using systematic random sampling techniques among 361 pregnant women who
attended antenatal care at government health institutions of Malga district. Well-structured
and interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Bivariate and
multivariate logistic regressions on SPSS version 20 software packages were used to identify
predictor of under nutrition with 95% statistical significance and variables with p value less
than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.
Result. Prevalence of under nutrition among antenatal care attendant pregnant women of
Malga district was 20.78%. Low dietary diversity score of mothers (AOR = 2.868; 95% CI 1.192-
6.904), family size greater than or equal to 5 (AOR = 4.511; 95% CI 1.734-11.736) and husband
control over household income (AOR = 4.785; 95% CI 1.980-11.566) were found to be
independent predictors of under nutrition during pregnancy.
Conclusion Under nutrition is found to be a public health problem in the study area. Low
dietary diversity score of mothers, family size greater than or equal to five and husband
control over household income were found to be risk factors for under nutrition in pregnancy.
Recommendation Awareness creation on diversified diet, birth spacing, use of family
planning services and empowering women to control family income. |
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