Review of Nutritional Status and Factors Affecting Dietary Practices among Pregnant Women

Abstract

In every woman’s life, pregnancy is the greatest period where nutrition is 
the main significance for ideal pregnancy result. During this period, there 
is high demand of nutrients from the mother to the growing foetus. This 
paper focused on review of nutritional status and factors affecting dietary 
practices among pregnant women. Based on review, findings revealed that 
adequate dietary practices is crucial during pregnancy in order to ensure 
that correct energy and nutrient is provided to the developing foetus. 
Similarly, steady diet during pregnancy is essential for the well-being of 
both mother and the foetus. Pregnant women’s nutritional status and 
health influence the foetus health and survival due to the biological 
relationship between mother and child. Poor dietary practices result to 
insufficient maternal nutrition which leads to problems such as low birth 
weight, pre-term birth, Intra Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) and 
infant mortality. Furthermore, socioeconomic status, household food 
security status, maternal and cultural factors affect dietary practices 
among pregnant women. During pregnancy, consumption of suitable 
nutritional food diet is important for women in order to supply the energy 
and nutrients required to the foetus. Moreover, pregnant women need to 
be enlightened on significance of dietary practices to their health and unborn child. Likewise, awareness needs to be created on importance of 
consumption of adequate food diet and sustaining healthy life during 
pregnancy.