Dietary habits of pregnant women in rural areas

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnant women should take special care to maintain proper nutrition. During pregnancy, there is an increased need for energy and various nutrients. Diet exerts a fundamental influence on foetal development and the child’s extrauterine health. Research shows that women’s knowledge about nutrition during pregnancy is still unsatisfactory. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among women living in rural areas. Aims: The study aimed to specify the dietary habits of pregnant women living in rural areas as well as to analyse the respondents’ most frequent nutritional mistakes. The study assessed respondents’ knowledge and awareness of nutrition during pregnancy. Material and methods: The study was conducted from 1 February to 1 May 2018 and used authors’ own questionnaire. It included 57 pregnant women from rural areas. More than half of the study participants (57%) were not in gainful employment and did not continue their education. Results: Although most of respondents believed that they had proper dietary habits, the study found that their knowledge and awareness of diet during pregnancy were at a low level. Most women (54%) paid no attention to the nutritional information on food labels. During pregnancy, the respondents chose products posing a potential threat to the developing foetus. Conclusions: Due to the unsatisfactory results, it was concluded that there is a need to disseminate knowledge on nutrition. A method that would provide long-term effects is needed to increase its efficiency. Telemedicine could be a solution.