NUTRITIONAL BEHAVIOUR OF PREGNANT WOMEN
ABSTRACT
This study examines the
implication of nutritional
behaviour in pregnancy on
maternal child health in
Alimosho General Hospital,
Igando. Pregnancy
deserves planning because many practice and conditions of the mother that harm the developing fetus. The effect of
maternal malnutrition on the course of pregnancy, the food pregnant woman eat serve as a mean source of nutrition
for the baby and the event pregnant woman should avoid. Also the mean aim of the study is to know which diet and
life style habit contribute to a successful pregnancy outcome and the changes that will occur in the body during
pregnancy. However, method of data collection was well structure questionnaire divided into sections with sample
size of 180 respondents. The finding shows that nutrition has a very positive impact in pregnancy and that adequate
nutrition which must be on the average will result to good outcome in pregnancy. It further recommend that the
awareness of the importance of nutrition among pregnancy women should be taken to the nook and cranny of the nation.
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Expectant and nursing mothers, infants and children constitute the most vulnerable segments of a population from the
nutritional standpoint. In any consideration of the problem of malnutrition,’ these segments require special
consideration, as this unfortunate nutritional situation is prevalent in many under-developed countries today.
Pregnancy constitutes states of considerable physiological stress which impose increase nutritional demands
(Gopalan, 2000).
Pregnancy deserves planning because many practices or conditions of the mother that harm the developing fetus are
modifiable, such as the following: Alcohol consumption, Use of certain medications, such as heavy use of aspirin, Use
of illegal drugs, such as cocaine or marijuana, Job-related hazards and stresses, Smoking, Inadequate diet, such as
too little iron, zinc, and synthetic folic acid, Excess vitamin A intake and mega dose use of other nutrient supplements,
Heavy caffeine use, Lack of medical treatment with HIV -positive status or AIDS, Poor control of ongoing diabetes or
hypertension (ADA Reports, 2000).
Women need to pay attention to these risks in the months before conception. This precaution is necessary because
women often do not suspect they are pregnant during the first few weeks after conception and may not seek medical
attention until after the first 2 to 3 months.
Still, even without fanfare, the child-to-be grows and develops daily. For that reason, the health and nutrition habits of
a woman who is trying to become pregnant – or has the potential to become, pregnant – are particularly important.
Although some aspects of fetal and newborn health are beyond control, a woman’s conscious decisions about Social,
health, and nutritional factors affect her infant’s health and future. Much research suggests that an adequate vitamin
and mineral intake at least 8 weeks before conception and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects such as
neural lube defects. This problem has been Iinked-in part to a foliate deficiency.
In addition, about 50% of pregnancies are unplanned. For these reasons, parents should be aware of the role
nutrition plays in the development of a healthy infant both before and during pregnancy. According to
Scholl &Johnson, 2000), the stages of pregnancy include: Prenatal Growth, Development and the Early Growth.
For B weeks after conception, a human embryo develops from an ovum into a fit for about another 32 weeks, the
fetus continues to develop. When its body finally matures, the infant is born. Until birth, the mother nourishes it via a
placenta, an organ that forms in her uterus. The placenta separates the blood supply of the mother from the blood
supply of the fetus. Nutrients pass from the mother’s blood through the placenta to accommodate the growth and
development of the fetus.
In the formation of the human organism, egg and sperm first unite, producing the Zygote. From this point, the
reproductive process occurs very rapidly: Within 30 hours-zygote divides in, half to form 2 cells, Within 4 days cell
number climbs from 64 to128 cells. At 14 days-the group of cells is called an embryo, Within 35 days-heart is beating,
embryo is / of an inch (8 millimeters) long eyes and limb buds are clearly visible, At 8 weeks-the embryo is known as
a fetus, At 13 weeks (end of first trimester-most organs are formed, and the fetus can move.
For purposes of discussion, the duration of pregnancy-normally, 37 to 41 we from the mother’s last menstrual periodis commonly divided into three periods called trimesters. Growth begins in the first trimester with a rapid increase in
cell number.
NUTRITIONAL BEHAVIOUR OF PREGNANT WOMEN