Feeding Patterns as Correlates of Haemoglobin Status Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Primary Healthcare Facilities in Odeda Local Government

Maternal nutritional patterns play vital role in foetal growth and development, and it is a major public health concern in developing countries where food insecurity is predominant. This study aimed to examine the feeding patterns as correlates of haemoglobin status among pregnant women attending antenatal in primary health care facilities in Odeda local government. This study adopted a descriptive quantitative survey design. A sample of 422 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in primary health care facilities in Odeda local government, were randomly selected to participate in the study. Two validated instruments were used for data collection; (PWFPQ, =0.766) and Quality of Food Intake, (=0.836) while heamoglobin status was obtained from medical record.  Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from study revealed prevalence of feeding patterns: (55.9%) of the pregnant women eat 3 times daily, 26.1%   eat at least 2 times daily and 46(10.9%) eat more than 3 times daily. Also, (48.1%) of the pregnant women eat breakfast, lunch and supper, 19.2% eat breakfast and lunch and 18.5% eat breakfast alone while 14.2% had lunch and supper. Finding also revealed that majority of the pregnant women had normal haemoglobin status; very few had low haemoglobin status of below 11g/dl. Finding also shows that feeding patterns of pregnant women during pregnancy has significant relationship with pregnant women heamoglobin status (r=336, P=0.000). It was therefore recommended, among others, that nutrition education programmes and mother crafts should be organized for pregnant mothers and adolescent girls, so as to improve their nutrition knowledge.

Keywords: Feeding Pattern, Heamoglobin Status, Pregnant Women,