المعارف التغذوية وعادات التناول الغذائي للنساء الحوامل المراجعات لمراكز الرعاية الصحية الأولية

Nutritional Knowledge and Dietary Intake Habits of Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers

Abstract

Nutritional knowledge and dietary intake habits during the pregnancy play an essential role in maintaining the overall wellness and mental health of both the pregnant woman and the growing baby. The nutrients that the fetus receives during pregnancy continue to affect it throughout its life, so the pregnant mother must pay attention to healthy nutrition in order to preserve her health and the health of her fetus in the future. The study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge, dietary habits of pregnant women and funding out relationship between demographic characteristics.
A descriptive study was conducted at the primary health care centers in Hilla City through period from 15th October 2023 to 21thJuly 2024. The study sample consisted of 300 pregnant women who were selected according to a non- probability convenience sampling method. The questionnaire was validated by 12 experts and its reliability was achieved by a pilot study. The total number of items included 50 items. Data were collected through interview and analyzed by applying descriptive and inferential statistical analysis.
The study resultes demonstrated that the average age of the sample between 20 to 29 years (70.7%), (27.3%) with graduated from diploma and higher, living in extended family (58.7%), (70%) multipara, (26.3%), (75%), (49.7%) having two previous pregnancies and no history of abortion and with second trimester of pregnancy respectively. Also, more than half of women (66.3%) adhere to antenatal care for previous pregnancy. The nutritional knowledge and dietary habits showed (62.3%), (%63) with moderate level respectively, with moderate (3.20±1.403) intake for red meat. The study indicates that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between nutritional knowledge, food frequency intake and nutritional habits at p-values= 0.001 and 0.001 respectively. The study concludes the nutritional knowledge about pregnant women at moderate level while dietary habits at good level regarding foods frequency intake. The recommended of study that the Ministry of Health pay attention to education programs about the importance of food for pregnant women through health care providers and encourage pregnant women to increase the number of visits to primary health care centers to obtain cognitive information about the importance of nutrition during pregnancy.