Evaluation of health care, and nutrition knowledge and practice for pregnant women to contribute to reducing the rate of low birth-weight newborns

ABSTRACT

Subjects of this study were pregnant/nursing women aged from 15 to 49 years. Settings 11 communes involved in Kim S¬n district (Ninh B×nh province), B×nh Lôc district (Hµ Nam province) and VÜnh B¶o district (H¶i Phßng City). 50 women were selected randomly from each commune. The results showed that there was difference between knowledge and practice in care and diet of pregnant women. All of subjects knew that they need to eat more during pregnant period, but in the fact they eat same or little than normal. There was not difference between concept and practice for restricted diet. Most of them knew that there is a relationship between pre-pregnant weight of mother and neonatal weight and improving the nutrition during pregnancy can help the fetus growing well.