Food-related Taboos during Pregnancy and Lactation among Women of Rural Haryana: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy and lactation are those physiological periods when nutrient demands are considerably increased. Food taboos practiced during these periods influence food’s nutritional quality, which subsequently affects pregnancy and birth outcomes.Aim: To study the food practices and related taboos during pregnancy and lactation among women in households of village Juan, Sonepat, HaryanaMaterial and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 study households selected bysystematic random sampling from September to October 2021. Data were collected by interviewing a femalerespondent from each household using an open-ended questionnaire.Results: During pregnancy, the most commonly consumed foods were milk (98.9%), green leafy vegetables(96.7%), and fruits (91.1%); whereas avoided foods were spicy foods (35.6%), oily/fried foods (34.4%), papaya(31.1%), sapota (13.3%) due to fears of miscarriages and maternal deaths.During lactation, the most commonly consumed foods were soft porridge with butter (98.9%), milk with dry dates (41.1%), and cumin water (37.8%). Foods commonly avoided were cold foods such as buttermilk/curd (95.6%), rice (54.4%); whole pulses (35.5%) due to fear of cough/cold and colic in baby.Conclusion: A substantial proportion of study households had good practices of consuming foods rich in essential nutrients but were restricted by a few study households.