The Effectiveness of Nutrition Education and Egg and Milk Supplementation during Pregnancy in Cirebon Regency Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Chronic energy malnutrition and anemia are nutritional problems in pregnant women that often occur in developing countries. Nutritional intervention in pregnant women is needed to prevent any nutritional problems in both the mother and the fetus. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of nutrition education along with egg and milk supplementation on the knowledge and nutritional attitudes and nutritional status of a pregnant women. Methods: The study design was pre-experimental with one group pretest posttest. Subjects were 45 pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Nutritional interventions were given in the form of nutrition education along with egg and milk supplementation for pregnant women (90 days). The data collected consisted of pregnancy history, food consumption, household food security, nutritional knowledge and attitudes, midupper arm circumference, and hemoglobin levels. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon tests.Conclusions: Nutrition education intervention had an effect on increasing nutritional knowledge of pregnant women, and supplementation of egg and milk for three months increased the mid-uppper arm circumference. Nutritional intervention is needed as an effort to prevent chronic energy malnutrition in pregnant women.