Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary intake and nutritional status of pregnant women attending at district hospital Lamahi & Ilaka health post Sisahaniya Dand, Lumbini province in Nepal.

Research Report.

ABSTRACT:

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological state of nutritionally high demanding period of life of
women, where she goes physical, mental, and biochemical changes. It is a special journey around
40 weeks from conception to before birth of the new born baby. When embryo develops in the
womb of the pregnant mother, all essential nutrients for embryo development, circulate through
blood circulation of the mother and placenta. Objective of the research was to assess the
effectiveness of nutritional counseling on dietary intake and nutritional status of pregnant women.

Methodology: Quasi-experimental research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of
nutritional counselling on dietary intake and nutritional status of pregnant women. Dang district
of the Lumbini province was purposively selected, then 111 participants who were pregnant before
20 weeks of gestation were included in the study who attended Lamahi hospital and health post of
Sisahaniya, Dang, Lumbini province of Nepal.

Findings: Result showed that 18.2% were under-weight, 20% overweight, and 3.6% obese
pregnant women. MUAC measurement of pregnant women indicated that 11.8% pregnant women
were malnourished before intervention, which reduced after intervention (4.5%). Dietary intake
pattern of pregnant women improved after nutrition counseling. Likewise, consumption of CHO,
protein, fat, and total energy increased after intervention. Gestational weight, and MUAC
measurement of pregnant women increased after intervention. Overall, nutrition status and dietary
intake pattern of pregnant women improved after nutrition counseling program as compared with
before counseling.

Conclusion: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is crucial for achieving healthy maternal and
fetal outcomes. Nutrition counselling showed positive effects on nutritional status of pregnant
women. Thus, nutrition counselling is essential for all pregnant women. It should be a major part
of ANC service to all pregnant women in Nepal.

Keywords:
Nutrition counseling, maternal and fetal outcome, malnutrition, underweight,
overweight