Abstract
BackgroundMaternal undernutrition is highly prevalent in underdeveloped countries. Hence, this study was intended to determine the prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among pregnant women visiting ANC clinics in Silte Zone.MethodFacility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to January 2019. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 422 study participants from 11 randomly selected health facilities. Data was collected by using a structured-interviewer administered questionnaire. Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) was measured by standard non stretchable MUAC tape. Data was entered into a computer using Epi data 3.1 and edited, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Both bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with maternal undernutrition.ResultIn this study, the overall prevalence of undernutrition among study subjects was 21.8%. Age greater than 31 years of women (AOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.93), Birth intervals > 2 years (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.76), good nutritional knowledge (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.67), and having no dietary change as a result of current pregnancy AOR = 6.02; 95% CI: 2.99, 12.14) were significantly associated with undernutrition.ConclusionsThe prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women was 21.8%. Current estimate is lower than previously reported in the study area but higher than reported in developed country. Age of women, Birth intervals, and Dietary change as a result of current pregnancy and Nutrition knowledge were important risk factors/ predictors of undernutrition (MUAC < 23 cm). Interventions targeting maternal nutrition education and child spacing with giving special emphasis to adolescent pregnant women are recommended.
Highlights
Maternal undernutrition is highly prevalent in underdeveloped countries
Interventions targeting maternal nutrition education and child spacing with giving special emphasis to adolescent pregnant women are recommended
More than half (66.4%) of the pregnant women were in their third trimester of pregnancy
Summary
Maternal undernutrition is highly prevalent in underdeveloped countries. Undernutrition and poor health from avoidable causes excessively affect the health of millions of people in developing countries [1]. Women and young children are the most affected [2]. Child and maternal undernutrition is responsible for approximately 3.5 million deaths of under-five age children [3]. Undernutrition during pregnancy physiologically demanding period would result in adverse pregnancy outcomes [4] Undernutrition makes the women more susceptible to diseases, more risk of having miscarriages, and give birth to low weight baby whose survival is at risk [3, 5]. About 23.8% of newborns affected by IUGR were born every year. About 75% of all affected newborns are born in developing countries [10]
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