Effect of Health Promotional Program on Pregnant Women' Knowledge and Practices regarding Pregnancy Nutritional Problems

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University

2 Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University

3 Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Ain Shams University

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia, underweight, gestational diabetes, overweight, and obesity are one of the
main nutritional problems among pregnant women which can associate with significant pregnancy
complications. Aim: To evaluate the effect of health promotional program on pregnant women'
knowledge and practices regarding pregnancy nutritional problems. Design: Quasi-experimental
research design pre-post-test was used in this study. Settings: The study was applied in the antenatal
clinics at Sohag and Tanta University Hospitals and maternal and child health centers at Sohag City
(Dar E Salam Abdallah health center). Sample: purposive sample of 410 pregnant women was
recruited from the previously selected settings. Tools: A structured interviewing questionnaire and
pregnant women’s reported practices. Results: The results showed that the most reported source of
information among pregnant women on nutrition during pregnancy was health team personal. a
highly statistically significant difference found between pregnant women’s knowledge regarding
nutritional problems including Iron deficiency anemia, underweight, gestational diabetes,
overweight, and obesity at pre and post health promotional programs. pre the health promotional
program implementation, more than three-quarters of pregnant women had unsatisfactory total
practice scores pre the implementation of the program regarding nutritional problems which
improved and become most of them had satisfactory total practice scores post-implementation of the
program. Conclusion: The implemented health promotional program had positive effect on
improving pregnant women's knowledge and practices regarding the nutritional problems during
pregnancy. Recommendation: A health promotional program regarding the nutritional problems
should be educated for pregnant women during the antenatal period to prevent complications
associated with these problems.

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