Nutritional Status of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in a tertiary Health Facility in Abeokuta, South West Nigeria

Abstract

Poor nutrition affects everyone negatively, mothers and children are particularly at risk due to a combination of physiological and socioeconomic factors. This study was done to assess the nutritional Status of pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary health facility in Abeokuta, Ogun state. Dietary diversity score, food frequency questionnaire, food consumption score analysis, anthropometric assessment and biochemical assessment were used. Data was collected using a semi structured using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Blood samples were taken from the respondents for the biochemical test. A total of 398 respondents participated in the study and the majority of the respondents were between 26 and 30 years with 44%. The respondents’ monthly income was mainly between N31,000 and N50,000 as represented by 44.7% of the respondents. The study showed that 94.7% of the respondents consumed cerea lor roots, 96.7% consumed vegetables and 63.6% of the respondents had a high dietary diversity score. The study also showed that 12.8% of the respondents were at risk of malnutrition. In conclusion, carbohydrate foods were the most consumed. There is a significant relationship between the dietary diversity score, the food consumption score and most socio-economic variables.