Abstract
Introduction: Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is a pre-requisite for good pregnancy outcomes as well as future wellbeing, development and quality of life of the unborn child. This analytical cross-sectional study evaluated the adequacy of nutrient intakes of pregnant women resident in northern Ghana.
 Methods: A total of 400 pregnant women in 25 communities in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana were interviewed at the household level. The nutrient intakes were assessed using a structured 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. A dietary diversity score (DDS) was measured as a count of food groups. A nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of 14 nutrients as well as mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were calculated based on the 24-hour dietary recall.
 Results: The average energy, protein and fat intakes were 2,770.8 ± 1,127.5 Kcal/day, 59.2 ±27.5 g/day, and 105.25±58.0 g/day, respectively. The proportion of women meeting the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of these macro-nutrients were 58.8%, 27.0% and 50.3% respectively. The average MAR of 14 nutrients was calculated to be 68% as the overall measure of nutrient adequacy. MAR correlated positively with DDS (r = 0.24 P < 0.001). Over 50% pregnant women obtained less than 66% of the RDA for iron, calcium, riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin B12.
 Conclusion: Diets of the majority of these pregnant women were deficient in several nutrients. Dietary diversity scores served as a useful proxy indicator of nutrient adequacy in this sample. In order to meet the requirements for essential nutrients, more effort should be made to promote dietary diversity among pregnant women in northern Ghana.
Highlights
Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is a pre-requisite for good pregnancy outcomes as well as future wellbeing, development and quality of life of the unborn child
The Upper West Region (UWR) has the highest proportion of households in the lowest quintile (55.7%) and the Northern Region (NR) recorded the lowest proportion in the highest quintile (10.2%) (Ghana statistical Service (GSS) 2014)
The findings of this study add evidence to this, since almost all participants (91.8%) of this study reported having consumed food items from starchy staple foods
Summary
Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is a pre-requisite for good pregnancy outcomes as well as future wellbeing, development and quality of life of the unborn child. This analytical cross-sectional study evaluated the adequacy of nutrient intakes of pregnant women resident in northern Ghana. In order to meet the requirements for essential nutrients, more effort should be made to promote dietary diversity among pregnant women in northern Ghana. Adequate maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy is a pre-requisite for good pregnancy outcomes as well as future wellbeing, development and quality of life of the unborn child (FAO/WHO 1992; Pollitt 1990). It is known that maternal nutrition influences the nutrition and birthweight of infants as well as to some extent the supply and composition of breastmilk post-partum (Ares Segura et al 2016; Dewey 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
