Pregnancy is a special time for women, and it's essential to make sure they are getting the right nutrition to support their health and the health of their baby. Stress, anxiety, fatigue, and other psychosocial characteristics can have an effect on the dietary choices women make during pregnancy, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Before pregnancy, women need to have a nutritious and safe diet to establish sufficient reserves for pregnancy. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, energy and nutrient requirements increase.
Knowing them is essential for the health of women and their children, both in the womb and during early childhood. Good nutrition during pregnancy is essential for both mother and baby. Your need for certain nutrients (such as iron, iodine, and folic acid) increases during pregnancy. A varied diet that includes the right amount of healthy foods from the 5 food groups generally provides our bodies with the vitamins and minerals it needs each day. However, pregnant women may need to take vitamin or mineral supplements during pregnancy (such as folate and vitamin D).A study conducted in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia aimed to evaluate dietary practices and associated factors during pregnancy.
Of the total number of factors, two were assumed depending on the variance explained by the successive components of the food scoring matrix. The factors were identified using the minimum sum of the residuals squared, followed by the rotation in varimax for interpretation. A descriptive analysis of sociodemographic variables, factors related to lifestyle and factors related to pregnancy was carried out. At the end of the 20th century, energy intake increased, becoming excessive, unbalanced and deficient in terms of the main micronutrients. This variable was calculated as the difference between the total recommended daily intake for each food group and the total daily intake score for all food groups. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, educational level, domestic food insecurity, nutritional knowledge, and meal frequency were factors that were significantly associated with dietary practice of pregnant women.
This approach was based on the observation that consumption scores of some foods are correlated and therefore statistical factor analysis can be used to express total variance of dietary questionnaire scores in terms of some latent variables (factors). The recommended dietary intake for non-pregnant women (1000 mg per day for women aged 19 to 50 and 1,300 mg per day for adolescents or people over 5 years of age) remains unchanged during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Although babies have a high need for calcium during third trimester of pregnancy (when they begin to develop and strengthen their bones), an increase in mother's ability to absorb calcium from diet means that additional intake is not necessary. Evaluation of nutritional practices of pregnant mothers on maternal nutrition and associated factors in Guto Gida Woreda, East Wollega area, Ethiopia showed that low weight gain during pregnancy is a risk factor for delivering babies too young for gestational age leading to neonatal mortality and morbidity, stunted growth, delayed cognitive development and chronic diseases in adulthood. Dietary practices and associated factors among pregnant women in Wondo Genet district in southern Ethiopia were also evaluated. Other factors such as supplement consumption, alcohol consumption, and caffeine intake were evaluated less frequently. It's important for pregnant women to be aware of these factors that can affect their dietary intake so they can make informed decisions about their nutrition during this special time.
Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential for both mother's health and baby's development.
