study of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

This study was carried out to evaluate the dietary nutrient intake of pregnant women. The relationship between dietary intake and pregnancy outcome was also studied. A total of 114 pregnant women were studied, using systematic random sampling. The percentages of the mean nutrient intake below the recommended dietary allowances [RDA] for pregnant women were as the follows: 51.8%, 93.9%, 82.5% and 98.2% for energy, vitamin B1, calcium and iron, respectively. Moreover, 13.2% of the women experienced some form of pica. Using height and mid-arm circumferences, about 2.8% and 4.4% were seen to be undernourished respectively. Saudi pregnant women need guidance in selecting nutrient dense foods to reduce maternal and outcome health hazards