Nutrient supplementation among pregnant women in China: an observational study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Tao Han ◽  
Jingwen Dong ◽  
Jiangtao Zhang ◽  
Chenxiao Zhang ◽  
Yuxuan Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To clarify nutrient supplementation usage and primary source of information among pregnant women in China. Design: This cross-sectional study used information on nutrient supplementation and primary source of information collected via face-to-face interviews. Data on the usage of folic acid, calcium/vitamin D, iron, vitamins, docosahexaenoic acid, and other dietary supplements were collected. Primary source of information were categorized as family/relatives, friends/co-workers, the Internet, books/magazines, television/radio, doctors, other people, and oneself. Setting: Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Chengdu, China. Participants: 1081 Chinese pregnant women aged ≥ 20 years with singleton pregnancies. Results: In all three trimesters of pregnancy, usage was highest and most stable for folic acid (81.7%), followed by vitamins (vitamin A, B-group vitamins, vitamin C, and multivitamins; 75.0%), whereas calcium/vitamin D (51.4%) and iron (18.1%) usage was low, potentially indicating a deficiency risk. All supplementation usage percentages increased with pregnancy duration (p < 0.05). Notably, approximately 10% of the pregnant women in our study did not use any nutrient supplementation, and this was especially common in early pregnancy. More than 50% of the women reported getting information on nutrient supplementation from family members, and about 30% reported getting this information from doctors. Conclusions: Among pregnant women in China, awareness about nutrient supplementation increases as the pregnancy progresses, but some types of nutrient supplementation (such as calcium/vitamin D and iron) remain at low levels. It is necessary to pay more attention to the health education of pregnant women in China, and the influence of family members should be emphasized.

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohan Chandra Regmi ◽  
Laxmi Subedi ◽  
Ramesh Shrestha ◽  
Baburam Dixit ◽  
Neha Shrestha

Aims: To find out the prevalence of domestic violence in pregnant women attending Antenatal clinics (ANC) of B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, a tertiary centre in eastern Nepal.Methods: It was a hospital based cross-sectional study done at antenatal clinics of BPKIHS from 14th March 2015 to 30th August 2015. The total number of recruited antenatal patients was 470. Data were collected by face to face interview via pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.Results: The prevalence of domestic violence among pregnant women was 53.2% of which prevalence of physical domestic violence was 9.6%. The most common person inflicting the domestic violence was husband (23.6%). Emotional abuse was the most common form of domestic violence experienced by the pregnant women (26.8%) and threatening for remarriage was most common emotional violence faced (43.2%). As the age of the pregnant women increases, they tend to have more domestic violence.Conclusions: The prevalence of Domestic Violence among pregnant women seemed alarmingly high in our society. Awareness to the family members and strengthening the women empowerment at community level might play a major role for reducing such violence. Pregnancy-related violence is a serious public health issue.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-62
Author(s):  
Hamdia M. Ahmed ◽  
Safyia S. Piro

Inadequate knowledge or inappropriate attitude about breastfeeding may lead to undesirable consequences. This study assessed the breastfeeding knowledge and attitude of pregnant women about breastfeeding. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 pregnant women from four primary health-care centers in Erbil City/Iraqi Kurdistan from March 15, 2017, to May 15, 2017. A structured questionnaire was developed based on the evidence in the literature. A face to face interview technique was used for data collection. Overall, 61.7% of mothers had a poor level of knowledge of breastfeeding despite having a positive attitude (96.7%). There was a significant association between mothers’ knowledge and mothers’ education level, age, occupation, and type of family. However, no significant association was found between mothers’ attitude and their education level, age, occupation, parity, type of family, and having the plan to breastfeed. As general, the highest percentage of correct responses was about knowing about early skin-to-skin contact (69.2%), initiation of breastfeeding (57.5%), knowing the colostrum (76.7%), necessity of giving colostrum (79.2%), no necessity prelacteal feeding (79.2%), exclusive breastfeeding age (69.2%), complementary age food (70.8%), and optimal weaning time (70%) while the lowest percentage of correct responses was about breastfeeding benefits for infant and mother; as well as the contraindication of breastfeeding. Having good attitude regarding breastfeeding is not ensuring to have good knowledge. A significant number of pregnant mothers had not sufficient knowledge that indicating the necessity of interventional programs by the health system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Mary Kamau ◽  
Samuel Kimani ◽  
Waithira Mirie

Background: The increased demand for iron and folic acid during pregnancy is not met through diet due to insufficiency or reduced bioavailability of nutrients among women from low income countries. Thus, iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) is a promising interventional strategy for control of anaemia during pregnancy. Kenya adopted the global IFAS intervention with a target of 80% coverage by 2017, however, the compliance remains low. Increasing awareness, counselling, communication and community education on IFAS have improved compliance among pregnant women. Thus, we aimed to determine: IFAS knowledge, availability, practices, and content of IFAS counselling among pregnant women attending health facilities in Kiambu County, Kenya. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 364 pregnant women aged 15-49 years. A two stage cluster sampling, including one sub-county and five public health facilities were used. A pre-tested structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data, maternal knowledge and counselling on IFAS was used. An observation checklist was used to observe practices and content of antenatal counselling session in each facility. Data was analysed using STATA in which descriptive and inferential statistics were computed. Results: Of 364 respondents, less than half (40.9%) scored high on knowledge on IFAS. Women who were counselled on duration of IFAS intake, side effects, and their mitigation were more likely (p <0.005) to have high IFAS knowledge. Although all the health facilities had varied IFAS posters displayed, none had key IFAS counselling documents. Conclusion: Less than half of the pregnant women had high IFAS knowledge, IFAS documents were scarce in health facilities, IFAS counselling information in different health facilities was limited and varied and content of counselling was associated with levels of knowledge on IFAS. This underscores the need to strengthen focused and targeted IFAS counselling for pregnant women and standardization of counselling messages to improve compliance and pregnancy outcomes.


Author(s):  
Reema F. Tayyem ◽  
Sabika S. Allehdan ◽  
Razan M. Alatrash ◽  
Fida F. Asali ◽  
Hiba A. Bawadi

Objective: Maternal nutrition is considered an important pillar in the pregnancy outcomes for both mother and infant. A mother’s malnutrition and inadequate nutrient intake is associated with many undesirable pregnancy outcomes. Hence, assessing the nutritional status of the mother in the early stages of the pregnancy and preventing any inadequacy can preclude many health problems for both mother and infant. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the adequacy of nutrient intakes among Jordanian pregnant women as compared to their corresponding dietary reference intakes (DRIs). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a major University Hospital in Jordan. Three hundred pregnant women were invited to participate in the study and 286 agreed to participate. Fifty pregnant women were enrolled at week 9, then 96 pregnant women were at week 20 and 137 pregnant women were at week 30 of pregnancy. The participants completed the interview-based demographic questionnaire, pregnancy physical activity questionnaire, and quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Results: The mean energy intake was 2768.9 ± 767.8 kcal/day and it was significantly higher in the 3rd trimester (p < 0.05). Women in the 3rd trimester consumed significantly more protein, carbohydrates, and sugar than women in the 1st and 2nd trimesters (p < 0.05). The pregnant women in the 3rd trimester consumed more sodium than women in the 1st and 2nd trimesters (p < 0.05). The vitamin K intake was significantly (p = 0.045) lower in the 2nd trimester than the 1st and 3rd trimesters. The calcium intake was significantly higher in the 3rd trimester than the 1st and 2nd trimesters (p = 0.021). The total micronutrient (vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and D, calcium, and iron) intakes derived from dietary supplements and food sources throughout the 3 trimesters was significantly higher in the 3rd trimester than the 1st and 2nd trimesters (p < 0.05). The vitamin D, calcium, and iron intakes had the most significant increases between the 1st and 3rd trimesters (p < 0.001), while folic acid intake was significantly higher in the 1st trimester than the 2nd and 3rd trimester (p < 0.001). Most women exceeded the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for sodium in all trimesters, while 82% of women exceeded the UL of folic acid in the 1st trimester and from the supplement, not the diet. Conclusion: While the intake of some nutrients from food alone remains below the DRIs in the diets of pregnant women, the intake of other nutrients is above the UL. Raising the awareness of pregnant women about their diet and how a supplement intake can reduce the risk of inadequate intake for many micronutrients and improve their pregnancy outcomes is of great importance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 350-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Jones ◽  
K. Rueter ◽  
A. Siafarikas ◽  
E.-M. Lim ◽  
S. L. Prescott ◽  
...  

Previous research suggests prevalent vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women residing in South Australia and the Eastern Seaboard, however recent data from Perth, Western Australia (WA) is lacking. This cross-sectional study ofn=209 pregnant women (36–40 weeks of gestation, 84% white Caucasian) reports on the vitamin D (25[OH]D) status of a contemporary population of pregnant women in Perth, WA, with a focus on the relative contributions of supplemental vitamin D and ambient ultraviolet (UV) radiation to 25(OH)D levels. Mean (SD) season-adjusted 25(OH)D levels were 77.7 (24.6) nmol/l. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D<50 nmol/l) was 13.9%. Ambient UV radiation levels in the 90 days preceding blood draw were significantly correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels (unstandardized coefficient 2.82; 95% CI 1.77, 3.86,P<0.001). Vitamin D supplementation expressed as dose per kg of body weight was also positively correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels (unstandardized coefficient 0.744; 95% CI 0.395, 1.092,P<0.001). In conclusion, this study finds that vitamin D deficiency in a predominantly white Caucasian cohort of pregnant women is less prevalent than has been reported in other studies, providing useful information relating to supplementation and screening in this, and similar, populations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiana R Titaley ◽  
Enrika Rahayu ◽  
Rita Damayanti ◽  
Dini Dachlia ◽  
Ratu Ayudewi Sartika ◽  
...  

 Objective: In Indonesia, pregnant women are recommended to take a minimum of 90 tablets of iron/folic acid (IFA), to prevent iron deficiency anemia. Our analysis aimed at examining the extent to which improved knowledge on IFA supplementation is associated with women’s compliance with taking a minimum of 90 IFA tablets during their last pregnancy in four districts in Indonesia.Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional study conducted in four districts, that is, Lebak and Pandeglang District (Banten Province) as well as Purwakarta and Subang District of West Java Province, Indonesia on June 2014. We used information from 436 mothers who delivered their baby in the last 6 months from the time of the survey and received at least 90 IFA tablets during her last pregnancy. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the role of knowledge after controlling for confounders and other significant predictor on compliance with taking a minimum of 90 IFA tablets during pregnancy.Result: Significant association was found between knowledge of IFA supplements and compliance. Compared to women with poor knowledge of IFA supplementation, the odds of taking a minimum of 90 IFA tables increased by almost 100% in women with moderate knowledge (adjusted odd ratio [aOR]=1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-3.30, p=0.011); and by more than four times (aOR=5.42, 95% CI: 1.76-16.68, p=0.003) in women with good knowledge of IFA supplementation. Other factors associated with compliance was attendance in at least four antenatal services (aOR=5.71, 95% CI: 1.28-25.53, p=0.023) and pregnant women experience of no side effects resulting from taking IFA tablets during pregnancy (aOR=2.70, 95% CI: 1.63-4.46, p<0.001).Conclusions: Efforts to increase women’s knowledge on IFA supplementation through community-based education will increase women’s compliance of taking IFA supplements. Strengthening counseling services on potential side effects of IFA supplementation and ways to manage them will also help to improve compliance.


Author(s):  
Yoko Shimpuku ◽  
Frida Elikana Madeni ◽  
Shigeko Horiuchi ◽  
Sebalda Charles Leshabari

ABSTRACT Objective: women are more likely to give birth at a health facility when their families agree with the birthplace. However, in rural areas of Tanzania, women are often marginalized from decision-making. This study predicted birthplace intention and identified factors to reduce perceptional gaps among pregnant women, husbands and family members. Method: explanatory cross-sectional survey was conducted in three villages in North Eastern Tanzania. Participants were 138 pregnant women and their families who answered the Birth Intention Questionnaire (BIQ), measuring knowledge, attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and intention for birthplace. Descriptive analysis, ANOVA, Chi-square, and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. Results: the regression model showed that knowledge, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms predicted intention for birthplace (R2 = .28). While 81% of pregnant women thought their husbands were decision-makers for their birth, only 38% of husbands and 37% of family members agreed. Pregnant women had significantly lower scores on the item “I will prepare for childbirth with my family” compared with husbands (p < .01) and other family members (p < .001). Conclusion: providing evidence-based birth preparation and reducing the identified perceptual gaps may enhance women’s intention to deliver at health facilities.


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