(P07-028-23) Nutritional Status, Knowledge and Practice of Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Centres in Abeokuta North and South Areas of Ogun State Nigeria

Objectives: Nutritional knowledge and practices are important factors in alleviating problem related to pregnancy, it's outcomes and nutritional status. This study assesses nutritional status, knowledge, practices and parity status of pregnant women in rural primary health centers in Abeokuta North and South of Ogun State.

Methods: A cross sectional study of 1000 healthy expectant mothers who were selected through multistage sampling procedure were carried out in Abeokuta with a semi-structured questionnaire to collect information on socio-economic, anthropometry and Parity status, nutrient intake, nutritional knowledge and practices. Data obtained were analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Nutrient intake was evaluated with Total Dietary Assessment (TDA) software while nutritional knowledge and practices were assessed on tercile scale and scored according to standard.

Results: The result showed that 93% were married, 83.5% were within 21-30years, 61% had secondary education with 31% earning within #20000-#29000 monthly. Over half (54%) of the respondents were malnourished as revealed by their current Mid-Upper-Arm Circumference (MUAC)w nutritional knowledge score revealed that 50% were having good nutritional knowledge, 46% have average knowledge while 4% have poor knowledge of nutrition. Good nutritional practices toward appetite to food, eating varieties of food, consumption of fruit and vegetables was observed by 57% while 43% had poor practices in terms of skipping meals (lunch), craving for non-food like white clay and ice-block etc. Significant negative and positive association were observed between nutritional knowledge and parity status at (r= -0.61**, p=0.047) for poor and (r= 0.68**, p=0.048) for good nutritional knowledge respectively.

Conclusions: Average nutritional knowledge those not mean adequate nutritional practices. Therefore nutritional  knowledge, emphasising the source of good nutrition before, during and after pregnancy should be foster among the respondents to reduce level of miscarriages as revealed by the result on parity status.

Funding Sources: No funding source, the researchers finance the study with their money, time and energy for the success of the research.