2025/07/30 by KASSAHUN AYELE BILCHAYE
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:14459
ADVISOR: HABTAMU FEDADU (PhD, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR) ABSTRACT Anemia is a condition which exists when there is less than the normal hemoglobin (Hgb) level in the body, which is a major public health problem among pregnant women in developing countries like Ethiopia. Lack of diversified diets, poor dietary habits and undernutrition are a severe problem and common contributors to anemia in the developing countries. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its association with dietary pattern and nutritional status among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Sekota Hospital North West Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August, 2021. Systematic random sampling procedure was employed to select study subjects. Socio-demographic and economic, obstetric related factors, and dietary habit data were collected using an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. The dietary diversity was assessed using 24 hours recall method and the nutritional status of the women was measured by using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measuring tape. Hemoglobin was tested at the time of survey by Heamatocrit machine. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Binary and Multinomial logistic regressions were used to identify dietary pattern, nutritional status and other factors related with anemia prevalence. A p value less than 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. The result of the study revealed that, the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care was 30.3% while 69.7% were non anemic. Pregnant women who achieved adequate dietary diversity score were 29.7% and 70.3% of pregnant women had inadequate dietary diversity score. Additional, food during pregnancy is not well practiced and iron rich foods such like, meat, fruits and vegetables are not frequented in study area. About 23.2% of the study participants were malnourished and 76.8% of the respondents were well nourished. Dietary patterns like, dietary diversity (AOR = 12.81, 95%CI: 3.93, 41.75), meal frequency (AOR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12, 0.59), food aversion (AOR = 0.12, 95%CI: 0.03, 0.47), and nutritional status (AOR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.07, 0.64), pregnancy interval (AOR = 2.88, 95%CI: 1.67, 4.95) were significantly associated with anemia. It is concluded that, the problem identified from this study area was one third of pregnant women were anemic. Adequacy of dietary diversity among pregnant women was low and high prevalence of undenutrition in study area. Dietary patterns and nutritional status were significantly associated with anemia. Therefore diversified diet, increasing the meal frequency of iron rich foods and strategies to reduce undernutrition should improve for pregnant women to prevent anemia in study area. Key words: Anemia, Dietary diversity, Dietary habits, pregnant women, Nutritional status, Antenatal care,