Identifying pregnant women who would adhere to food taboos in a rural community: a community-based study

Olurinde A. Oni, Jamilu Tukur

Abstract

Poor maternal nutrition, especially in rural settings, adversely affects pregnancy and birth outcomes. In many local communities, pregnant women have food taboos with consequent depletion of vital nutrients. To facilitate early identification and prompt counseling, this study aimed at describing pregnant women who are likely to keep food taboos. Data was collected from 405 pregnant women that attended antenatal care at health facilities in Saki East Local Government of Oyo state, Nigeria. Sociodemographic characteristics of the women were described using means and proportions. Using logistic regression analysis, maternal characteristics significantly associated with adherence to food taboos were identified. The data was analysed using SAS 9.2. Factors associated with food taboos were teen age, primigravidity, low body mass index, lack of formal education, and low monthly family income. Health workers should have a high index of suspicion for food taboos among pregnant women with the identified risk factors.  (Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[3]: 67-75).

 

Résumé

 

Une mauvaise nutrition maternelle, surtout en milieu rural, affecte négativement les résultats de la grossesse et la naissance. Dans de nombreuses communautés locales, les femmes enceintes ont des tabous alimentaires à l'appauvrissement conséquent de nutriments vitaux. Pour faciliter l'identification précoce et le conseil rapide, cette étude visait à décrire les femmes enceintes qui sont susceptibles de garder les tabous alimentaires. Les données ont été recueillies auprès de 405 femmes enceintes qui ont assisté à des soins prénatals dans les établissements de santé dans l’Administration Locale de Saki de l’Est dans  l'État d'Oyo, au Nigeria. Les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des femmes ont été décrites en utilisant des moyens et des proportions. En utilisant l'analyse de régression logistique, les caractéristiques maternelles significativement associés à l'adhésion à des tabous alimentaires ont été identifiées. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide de SAS 9.2. Les facteurs associés à des tabous alimentaires étaient l'âge,  l’adolescence, la primigravidité,  l‘indice du poids maigre, le manque d'éducation formelle, et le faible revenu familial mensuel. Le personnel de santé doit avoir un indice élevé de suspicion de tabous alimentaires chez les femmes enceintes avec des facteurs de risque identifiés (Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[3]: 67-75).

 

  Keywords: Maternal nutrition, food taboos, pregnancy, rural community, prevention

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