Abstract
Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) in Liberia promote facility‐based delivery to reduce maternal mortality. However, women often must bring their own food and supplies to MWHs, which makes food insecurity a barrier to the utilisation of MWHs. Consumption of edible indigenous insects is a common practice and has notable nutritional benefits but has not been studied in Liberia as a potential solution to food insecurity at MWHs. The purpose of this study is to (a) examine the acceptability of insect consumption in the context of Liberian beliefs, (b) identify species commonly consumed by pregnant women in Liberia, and (c) examine the feasibility of harvesting insects as food and income generation for women staying at MWHs. Focus groups were conducted at 18 healthcare facilities in Liberia. Participants included chiefs, community leaders, women of reproductive age, traditional birth attendants, women staying at MWHs, and male partners. Focus group participants identified many different species of insects consumed by pregnant women in the community as well as the perceived health impacts of insect consumption. They also described their own experiences with insect hunting and consumption and the perceived marketability of insects, particularly palm weevil larvae. The results of these discussions demonstrate that insect consumption is an acceptable practice for pregnant women in rural Liberia. These findings suggest that it is feasible to further explore the use of palm weevil larvae as dietary supplementation and income generation for women staying at MWHs in Liberia.
Highlights
Within Liberia, maternity waiting homes (MWHs) provide transitional housing for pregnant women who are close to full term, to increase facility delivery for women living far from a health centre (Lori &Starke, 2012; Lori, Munro et al, 2013)
A descriptive study design was used to examine the acceptability of insect consumption by pregnant women in rural Liberia and determine the feasibility of insect farming as a mechanism to produce a marketable food supplement for women staying at Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) in Liberia
Qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions to answer the following research questions: (a) Is it acceptable for pregnant women in Liberia to consume insects? (b) Is it feasible to develop a palm weevil larvae farm as a form of dietary supplementation and a source of income generation at MWHs in rural Liberia? Prior to data collection, institutional review board approval was received from the University of Michigan bs_bs_banner
Summary
Within Liberia, maternity waiting homes (MWHs) provide transitional housing for pregnant women who are close to full term, to increase facility delivery for women living far from a health centre (Lori &Starke, 2012; Lori, Munro et al, 2013). Within Liberia, maternity waiting homes (MWHs) provide transitional housing for pregnant women who are close to full term, to increase facility delivery for women living far from a health centre MWHs play an important role in reducing maternal mortality by providing access to skilled birthing care at healthcare facilities for women who would otherwise give birth at Matern Child Nutr. Home (Bekele, Dadi, & Tesfaye, 2019; Lori, Wadsworth et al, 2013). Several studies have identified lack of food provisions as a deterrent for women considering an MWH stay (Chibuye, Bazant, Wallon, Rao, & Fruhauf, 2018; Lori, Wadsworth, et al, 2013)
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