Assessment of a Prenatal Nutrition Intervention for Low-income African-American Pregnant Women

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reported in 1991 that African-American infants are twice as likely to be born of low birth weight than white infants. Nutrition and maternal weight gain are factors that may determine birth weight of infants. A random sample of 20 low-income African-American women participated in the study. Subjects were divided into two groups of ten, the control and intervention groups. Women in the intervention group were visited in their homes by a nutritionist, a minimum of six times throughout their pregnancy. Adequate nutrition and attention to recommended weight gain were the focus of counseling sessions which were individualized and also met the cultural needs of the clients. A 24-hour recall and two-day food records were collected before and after the intervention in both intervention and control groups. Mother's weight gain and infant birth weights were documented for both groups. Women in the intervention group increased their iron consumption (p<.01) and there was a trend toward increased vitamin B-6 (p<.07) and folate (p<.10) consumption. There was no statistical difference in maternal weight gain between the groups. However, infant birth weight was higher (p<.05) in the intervention group. The results indicate that in-home nutrition education and counseling can improve nutrient consumption and birth outcomes in low-income African-American women.