Nutritional Habits Of Pregnant Ghanaian Women And Effects On Pregnancy Outcome

A B S T R A C T

Reduction of infant and maternal mortality is a part of

the WHO/UNICEF goals set in 1991 to be achieved by the

year 2000. Maternal and infant mortality can be reduced

by ensuring favourable outcome of pregnancy.

This study sought to assess the effects of nutrition and

health habits of pregnant women on pregnancy outcome.

A total of 502 pregnant women attending ante-natal

clinics in the Greater Accra region participated in an

epidemiological study, which involved a study of food

habits, pica practice, alcohol intake, parity,

preference for infant size at birth, ante-natal care,

oedema and nausea during pregnancy. A sub-sample of 128

pregnant women participated in a longitudinal study

which assessed maternal nutrient intake, height, weight

gain and nutrient supplementation during pregnancy,

infant birth-weight and maternal haemoglobin levels.

Results showed that women who experienced nausea during

pregnancy had infants of lower birth-weights. Oedema was

present in about 40% of the women and this correlated

with higher birth-weights.

Mothers who have had three or four previous pregnancies

had infants of higher birth-weights than nulliparous