5575938 DIETARY PATTERN, SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING BARAU DIKKO TEACHING HOSPITAL AND THE NEED TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE AND DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly lack of vitamin A, iron and iodine have severe adverse effect on women and children (Lopriore and Muehlhoff, 2005). More resources need to be dedicated to research so as to establish a standard and specific recommended dietary allowance (RDA’s) for SCD patients, like the one developed for the general population (Beatrice et al, 2010). Lack of screening plays a major part in excessive mortality and a lot of the life threatening complications of SCD among under 5 children have well established nutritional basis. Impairment of immune response among children with SCD is largely associated with poor nutritional status and this drives infection related mortality. Nutritional status has been shown to be critical in SCD severity, weight for age score was shown to significally predict hospitalization in SCD. (Mohammad et al, 2001). In this study, the dietary pattern, nutritional status and micronutrient status of pregnant women attending Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital (BDTH), Kaduna were assessed. Aims: Assess the dietary pattern and nutritional status of pregnant women attending BDTH, Kaduna Determine the micronutrient status (Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc) during pregnancy To state the link between nutrition and SCD Methods: 180 apparently healthy pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at BDTH were involved in the research. Informed consent was sought from all pregnant women. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess food intake, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was used to assess nutritional status, serum zinc and iron content were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and vitamin A was analysed spectrophotormetrically. Data were analysed and presented using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0 for descriptive statistics, statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results is presented as mean ± SD. Results: The age range of the pregnant women was mostly between 30-34 years. Most women had secondary school education. They were predominantly full time house wives. Maize was the most commonly food consumed by 69/180 pregnant women (38.5%). 140 pregnant women (78%) have normal serum iron levels while 40 pregnant women (22%) have low values (<10.74 µmol/L), though iron supplementation was given. Serum zinc levels were low (7.36 ± 0.31 1st trimester, 7.28 ± 0.37 2nd trimester, 7.18 ± 0.56 3rd trimester), serum vitamin A levels (1.67 ± 0.16 1st trimester, 1.53 ± 0.12 2nd trimester, 1.49 ± 0.11 3rd trimester). Severe acute malnutrition mainly occurred in the third trimester, 36/180 (20%) pregnant women. Conclusion: This study has established that higher percentage of malnutrition occurred in the third trimester (20%) pregnant womwen which may be due to the fœtus drawing a lot of nutrient from the mother. The dietary pattern showed a high frequency of consumption of carbohydrate food groups. Anthropometry of the pregnant women showed severe acute malnutrition (20%) in the 3rd trimester. The nutritional status of pregnant women is associated with birth weight of the baby. Baby given birth to by poorly nourished mother has a lower body weight as compared to the baby of better nourished mothers (Gashew et al 2019). Research have shown weather a pregnant woman is sickle or not there is an adverse effect on the new born if she is malnourished and also great consequences if the newborn is sikcle (Brown et al, 1994).