Magnitude and determinants of malnutrition among pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia: evidence from rural, community‐based setting

Abstract

Maternal malnutrition is a worldwide public health problem affecting a high proportion of pregnant women. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and determinants of malnutrition among pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1731 pregnant women selected by a cluster random sampling method. Data on maternal anthropometry and other factors were gathered by trained data collectors. Mid-upper arm circumference < 22 cm defined malnutrition. Mixed-effect, multilevel logistic regression was used to control clustering effect. On average, 19.06% of subjects were malnourished, while 23.3% study participants were underweight (body mass index < 19.8 kg m(-2)). In the final adjusted analysis, the risk of malnutrition was more than twofold higher in pregnant women with low (adjusted odds ratio = 2.47, 95% confidence interval = 1.41-4.34) and medium (adjusted odds ratio = 2.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.40-5.35) autonomy of household decision-making than those who had high level of autonomy in household decision-making. Husband illiteracy and not owning livestock were associated with increased risk of malnutrition. Women in the second and third trimester had a 66% and nearly twofold increased risk of malnutrition compared with their counterparts in the first trimester, respectively. Women who improved their eating habits had a 53% lower risk of malnutrition than those who did not. The risk of malnutrition was 39% lower in respondents who received prenatal dietary advice than in those who did not. Malnutrition affects at least one of every five pregnant women studied, calling for priority attention. Interventions that improve maternal involvement in household decision-making autonomy and provision of prenatal dietary advice are recommended.

Household Food Insecurity, Low Dietary Diversity, and Early Marriage Were Predictors for Undernutrition among Pregnant Women Residing in Gambella, Ethiopia

“…This is consistent with the result of survey done in Iran in which participants with scores ≥ six had greater body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to hip ratio than in individuals with scores less than six [33]. The study is also similar to the community based study done in eastern Ethiopia in which pregnant women who improved their eating habits had a 53% lower risk of undernutrition than who did not [21]. The study done in Kenya also showed that pregnant women with better DDS had greater macro-and micronutrient intake when compared to pregnant women with low DDS [27].…”

“…The big discrepancy observed may be due to different MUAC cut-off points used to determine undernutrition. However, the finding from this study was higher than other findings from highlands of Ethiopia 19.06% from eastern Ethiopia [21].…”

“…In supporting the national nutrition strategy and other potential intervention programs, adequate evidence about undernutrition and its contextual determinants in children, pregnant, and lactating mothers are available in the highlands of Ethiopia [11,[19][20][21][22]. However, there is no evidence about the aforementioned problem in pregnant women in lowlands of the country like Gambella region as to the investigators knowledge.…”

Determinants of malnutrition among pregnant and lactating women under humanitarian setting in Ethiopia

“…Seasonal variation and the fact that this study was conducted during the known hunger season in the area might have contributed to the high rates of malnutrition among the PLW. Past studies from development settings in Ethiopia have reported a prevalence of 19.1% with a more lenient criterion of MUAC < 22 cm [22], clearly indicating that malnutrition rates could be higher during emergencies even after a period of interventions. In this study, there seems to be some connection between receiving ANC and acute malnutrition among PLW.…”

Prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among pregnant women vising ANC clinic in Silte zone, southern Ethiopia

“…In developing nations including Ethiopia, burden of maternal and child undernutrition is very high. The prevalence of maternal undernutrition in Africa including Ethiopia found between 11%-36% (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27). The most acceptable explanation for this wide variation is likely to be the fact that contextual factors are major determinants of maternal undernutrition.…”