WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Milad Dawood Salman, Rana Samier Dawood and Wasan Jasim Mohammed

ABSTRACT

Background: Undernutrition is a significant global health concern, particularly among pregnant women. Maternal undernutrition remains a major public health issue, affecting approximately 10% of women worldwide. Nutrition knowledge plays a crucial role in promoting optimal dietary intake during pregnancy. Aims: This study aims to assess the awareness and practices of pregnant women regarding maternal nutrition, identify the main sources of nutritional awareness, and determine key factors influencing knowledge and practice. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1st to August 1st, 2024, involving 400 pregnant women attending the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Al-Emamain Al-Kadhymain Medical City and Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital. A convenient sampling method was used to evaluate participants' knowledge and practices concerning maternal nutrition. Results: Among the 400 participants, the majority were aged 18-30 years, had a secondary education level, and resided in urban areas. Social media was the most common source of nutritional information, followed by physicians. Good knowledge was observed in 68.5% of participants, while 24.8% had moderate knowledge and 6.8% had poor knowledge. Higher knowledge and practice scores were significantly associated with age over 30, college education, parity, and employment. Good practice was reported by 65% of participants. A significant positive correlation was found between knowledge and practice scores (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Most participants demonstrated good knowledge and practice regarding maternal nutrition, with a strong positive correlation between them. Enhancing educational strategies could further improve maternal nutritional awareness and practices.