KNOWLEDGE OF EFFECTS OF MATERNAL NUTRITION ON BIRTH OUTCOMES AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE SERVICES IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL LGA, IMO STATE

Abstract

The study determined knowledge of effects of maternal nutrition on birth outcomes among pregnant women attending antenatal care services (ANCs) in Owerri Municipal LGA, Imo State. Four objectives, four research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The target population consisted of an estimated 7,028 pregnant women attending antenatal care services in Owerri Municipal. The sample for the study comprised of 280 pregnant women that attended selected health facilities representing 3.98 per cent of the population. Researcherdesigned structured questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Validity of the questionnaire was ensured through the verdict of three experts from  Department of Public Health, Madonna University Elele, Rivers State. Split-half method was employed to establish the reliability of the instrument using thirty pregnant women attending health facilities in Owerri North LGA. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics of Chi square (  2). Findings of the study showed that majority of pregnant women had knowledge of the effects of maternal nutrition on birth outcomes; pregnant women of low educational level had low nutritional knowledge and its corresponding effects on birth outcomes. It was recommended that nutrition intervention programmes such as nutrition education in different villages, health centres, health posts and women organizations should be organized particularly for pregnant mothers in rural communities to increase nutritional knowledge of mothers and promote birth outcomes.