Do the pregnant mothers utilize supplementary nutrition along with other antenatal services? A cross sectional study from Mangaluru, Karnataka state, India

ABSTRACT

Background: Antenatal care services including supplementary nutrition services are the essential services for reducing maternal mortality. As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 4 data, 62% pregnant mothers received supplementary nutrition in Karnataka state and only 49.4% received health and nutrition education. Study was conducted to assess utilization of antenatal services with special reference to supplementary nutrition and advice on nutrition.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among the mothers admitted in obstetrics and gynecology department of Yenepoya Medical College Hospital. All the 140 mothers admitted during August and September 2017 for safe confinement of pregnancy were enrolled in this study and data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire. SPSS software version 22 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics was expressed in terms of frequencies and percentages. Chi square test was used to study the factors association with utilization of antenatal services.Results: Of the 140 participants, most of them i.e. 38.6% were in 25-30 years age group. The mean age was 46 years. Only 86 mothers (61.42%) received supplementary nutrition of whom only 53 (37.85%) had consumed it. Utilization of antenatal services was 100% with respect to minimum antenatal visits, routine laboratory investigations and TT immunization. Awareness about Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was very poor (5%). Educational status of mother was found to be associated with utilization of supplementary nutrition (p=0.026).Conclusions: Utilization of routine antenatal services was reported to be very good. Efforts should be made to improve utilization about supplementary nutrition and awareness about nutrition education.