AWARENESS OF ANTENATAL NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN  A SURVEY

Manish Mishra; Shrika Mehrotra; Ganesh Yadav

Volume : VI, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

AWARENESS OF ANTENATAL NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN A SURVEY

Manish Mishra, Shrika Mehrotra, Ganesh Yadav

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: Poor maternal nutritional status and substandard antenatal care, which result in increased women‘s risk, low birth weight and stillbirth, afflict many countries with weak or emerging economies even today. Studies that address the effect of extending nutrition awareness among pregnant women to the net outcome of pregnancy remain scarce.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to estimate the level of awareness about nutritional needs in expectant mothers in western India.

METHODS: An intervention survey of nutrition awareness was conducted involving 100 pregnant women. Awareness was assessed through one–to–one interview of the participants in the local language.

Observations and results: Study revealed that 27% pregnant women were found not aware about nutrient requirement during pregnancy, 55% were partially aware and 18% were fully aware

Conclusion: Study revealed that the most of the pregnant woman living in the urban study region were partially aware about nutrition intake during pregnancy. It is desirable to inform pregnant women about their nutritional status and effects of unbalanced diets on the mother and her fetus. Dietary advice must be tailored, must be based on weight and body mass before pregnancy and spontaneous food intake of each woman.