Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN A SECONDARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Shajeer Ali C. P.*, Sharooq R., Shamil R., Merlin. S. J., Dr. Ashwini Pavithran and Dr. Poornima Ashok

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Abstract

Background: Malnutrition as a condition characterised by excess, imbalance or deficiency in person’s energy and nutritive intake. WHO states that most of the countries in the world is afflicted with one or more types of malnutrition, which are under nutrition, overweight or obesity and micronutrient deficiency malnutrition. As per WHO report released in 2018, infants, children, adolescents and women have a particularly high risk rate of malnutrition and is the major cause for ill health and death than any other factor. To assess the nutritional status of pregnant women in a secondary care hospital and to analyze the cause of malnutrition using socioeconomic and demographic status. A prospective observational study was initiated for a period of 6 months from September 2019 to February 2020 in pregnant women of Department of OBG, K.C.G Hospital. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 185 subjects were enrolled for the study. Sources of data were medical records and patient interview. Nutritional status was measured using self-assessing questionnaire, BMI, MUAC, and by calculating daily dietary intake. The mean value of the initial BMI of the total population was 26.3 kg/m2. The mean value of the final BMI of the total population was 27.7 kg/m2. Conclusion: The study found that even though the overall nutritional status of pregnant women were not alarming, certain aspects of nutrition was not met.

Keywords: Pregnancy, Nutrition, Malnutrition, BMI, MUAC, Pregnant Women.