2020, VOL. 6 ISSUE 3, PART F
Abstract:Background: Maternal weight gain has been consistently associated with low birth weight (LBW) infants. However, studies showed that lower maternal weight gain during pregnancy leads to LBW babies. Thus, nutrition counselling during pregnancy can be effective in increasing maternal weight gain.
Objective: To study the impact of nutrition counselling on maternal weight gain.
Methods: A cohort study was carried out on 40 pregnant women of age group 18-30 years in first trimester randomly selected from Harpur panchayat in Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar (India). Subjects were divided into two groups; control and experimental group. Nutrition counselling was imparted to experimental group in different sessions. Their weights gain before and after counselling was recorded.
Results: The weight gain of subjects in the experimental group was significantly (P≤0.05) higher during 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th month of pregnancy. About 60% of the subjects in experimental group and 3 per cent in control group had 10-12 kg of weight gain during pregnancy.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that there was a significant and positive impact of nutrition counselling during pregnancy on maternal weight gain and a sound healthy baby. Thus, nutrition counselling during pregnancy should be given utmost importance in reducing maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality.